Love in Disguise
by lanky.wolf
Summary: When Louis sets Donna up on a blind date, Harvey accidentally stumbles upon her secret. He is on a mission to make it happen, but bothersome rules and unplanned events keep getting in the way. Can Harvey change the odds to work in his favor?
1. Let Me Borrow a Friend

**LOVE IN DISGUISE**

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Summary: When Louis sets Donna up on a blind date, Harvey accidentally stumbles upon her secret. He is on a mission to make it happen, but bothersome rules and unplanned events keep getting in the way. Can Harvey change the odds to work in his favor? A lighthearted story about loyalty, (mostly) pleasant surprises, thoughtful friendships and affections to bring them closer together. Harvey's POV.

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A/N: A brief set-up.

 ***Pearson Specter Litt Dynamics:** Jessica, Harvey, and Louis are co-managing partners of the firm. Donna works as an executive assistant to Harvey. Mike is a junior partner, mentoring under Harvey's wing.

 ***Harvey and Donna's Relationship:** After that one intimate night together (when Harvey quit the DA office), they never crossed the line again.

 **Warning:** If you are allergic to fluff, please do not attempt to read. This story is meant to be happy and light, one written to prevent a medical condition called _Early Onset_ _Darvey Deficiency._ Then again, if you've made it this far, maybe you're immune to fluffiness.

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 **1 - LET ME BORROW A FRIEND**

* * *

"Donna, I need you to reschedule my two o'clock? A case just came in and I..."

Harvey trailed off when he realized it wasn't Donna who'd just walked in. It was Louis, anxiously stalking towards him. When he'd mentioned 'a case just came in', he hadn't thought it would be cryptic for ' _a_ _Louis just came in'._ He had a real case to work on - one that involved tedious legal documents, overpaid rival attorneys, and cold courtrooms.

"Thank God, you're here," Louis huffed out, eagerly seating himself across Harvey's desk.

"I am here, unfortunately. So you can thank 'me _'_ instead," Harvey grumbled, putting in no effort to hide his annoyance. "Seriously, how the hell did you get in?"

Except for Mike, no one got past Donna without an introductory 'beep' to Harvey. And especially not His Majesty de la Louis. With him, Donna would flag Harvey an early warning, giving him a chance to engage in non-existent client calls or run to imaginary meetings (also known as 'take-a-trip-down-to-the-bagel-stand'). On occasions when encountering Louis became inevitable, the notice in advance still allowed Harvey to properly brace himself. In other words, he'd be granted sufficient time to numb his poor soul with lots of coffee first. It wasn't that he hated Louis. In fact, Harvey had great respect for the man, but Louis had extreme tendencies to either get too vested or completely distracted in conversations. Given a choice, he preferred to spend his days sans Louis.

When Harvey looked out impatiently towards Donna's desk, Louis followed his line of sight and said, "She...uh...went to see Malcolm on 19th. Something about taxes." He accompanied his nervous tone with a wince.

Louis was acting very strange - even his head twitch was 'twitchier' than usual. Sensing a dodgy scheme, Harvey narrowed his eyes. "And you know this...how?"

"Because I...uh...pretended to be Malcolm when I called her earlier," Louis confessed weakly. Then, his next words came tumbling out like his life depended on it. "That's not the urgent matter here, Harv. I need your help, and it concerns Donna. Since she hears everything through your speakerphone, I had to divert her away. So are you going to help me or not, Harv?"

Harvey held Louis's gaze, thinned his lips, and with both hands pressed against the desk, he slowly leaned forward. Louis mimicked Harvey's actions, obviously anticipating a cooperative response.

"Louis…," Harvey began. Louis nodded, eyes rounding with hope. "If you _'Harv'_ me again, I promise that your face and my windows will become very _well-acquainted_."

Harvey had always hated being called ' _Harv_ '.

Louis also knew without a doubt that the asserted threat was an empty one. Over the years, the two of them had pushed their more serious conflicts aside, and exchanging harmless taunts had become their unconventional but effective way of 'talk'. At the end of the day, the insults were not taken personally anymore. They even reveled in the verbal sparring of wits.

This time, the comeback drew a disappointed scowl from Louis. Sighing impatiently, Harvey shifted his focus back to his laptop. Then again, if this was really about Donna, he should offer his assistance. He owed her that much. Without looking at Louis, he asked, "What's all this fuss about?"

"Do you have friends I can borrow?"

 _What the hell did I just hear?_ Harvey froze, instantly regretting his decision to help.

Some days, Harvey wondered whether he ran a law firm or a prestigious mental asylum. He dealt with so many kinds of crazies in this place that it had to be a medical miracle he hadn't entirely lost his mental faculties. And the most generous contributor and winner of the firm's best-in-class eccentricities was the co-managing partner sitting across him.

There was no denying that Louis was a smart and hardworking lawyer. But ever so often, the man would stun Harvey speechless with the most bizarre sayings. This was another classic. No, this was beyond classic. 'Do you have friends I can borrow' was undisputedly a new low in Harvey's records. How could anything good come out of a conversation that involved those words?

"Are you even listening to a word I'm saying?" Louis prompted against the prolonged silence.

"Yes. It just takes awhile to process all your...originality." Harvey shook his head in disbelief. "Damn it, Louis. Stop wasting my time. Go play with your dolls or whatever make-believe friends you have."

As confusing as it was, Harvey didn't bother to find out what the question meant because he was too afraid to uncover the truth behind it. The two of them still had to work together after this unworldly conversation was over, and Harvey was determined to keep what salvageable regards he had for Louis intact.

"Wait! I admit that my question came out weird. I swear it didn't when I asked it in my head. But it sounded a little pervy…," Louis's voice faded out when he observed Harvey's 'shut-up-or-I'll-throw-my-pen-at-your-face' expression. With a little more composure, Louis tried again. "Listen, I made a pact with Donna a few weeks ago. We're supposed to set each other up on a blind date, and hers is happening soon."

 _Donna. Date. What?_ The words finally sunk in, and Harvey automatically gave Louis his undivided attention. "Like a double date?"

"Not a double date. A. Date. For. Donna. For someone who prides himself for being the city's best closer, you have such awful listening skills."

Harvey didn't understand what the big deal was. Donna could get her own dates; she'd been doing so for as long as Harvey could remember. On date nights, she'd leave the office a little earlier. Sometimes, he would tease and give her unsolicited advice. Usually, he'd feign ignorance to save her the awkward embarrassment. Donna had always made it clear that she didn't mix business with personal matters. To that effect, she'd never dated men from their firm. Though Harvey had always respected her principles and never pried beyond what she offered voluntarily, this was the first time he was hearing about Donna going on blind dates. Admittedly, he was very curious.

Louis spared a sidelong glance towards Donna's desk. Once assured that it was still vacant, he hastily explained, "I need to return the favor. Donna introduced me to her friend, Kate, two weeks ago. And wow! Kate is this amazing woman who loves cats and tennis. We had the most wonderful date when I took her mudding-"

"Ewww! Stop right there, Louis! I don't want to hear about your love life and definitely not about mudding!"

"Killjoy," Louis snapped irritably but in an instant, his tone turned pleading again. "This is serious. Donna tells me she's looking for 'the one'. She's done with casual dating and wants to settle down. I've been given such an honorable task, and I absolutely cannot fail her. The date is happening this Thursday, and I have no one for her. Nada. So help me out, Harv...eyyyy. Give me a name. A number. Let me borrow a friend who deserves to date Donna."

Donna telling Louis that she was ready to settle down was...interesting, for lack of a better word. He pushed that learning aside for now.

 _'A friend who deserves to date Donna.'_

Knowing how devoted Louis was to the woman, Harvey was almost flattered that Louis believed he hung out with worthy people who deserved Donna - emphasis on 'almost'. Their whole conversation was turning out to be so ludicrous that Harvey found it unexpectedly amusing. He decided to poke fun at Louis.

"Louis." Harvey frowned, kept his voice soft, and made sure each word was laced heavily with despair. "I wish I could help, but other than Donna, you, and Mike, I don't have any other friends. Work's been so demanding that I can't seem to..."

Louis looked so genuinely hurt on his behalf that Harvey failed to keep a straight face and blew his own cover. He didn't have the heart to see his prank through when Louis was so sensitive.

"I'm kidding, Louis! There's no need to look so sad." Harvey chuckled before adding more seriously, "But no. My friends are off limits. In fact, if you come anywhere near them, I'll help them sue your ass."

"Jerk! Of course, you were only playing me. But know this, smart ass _._ It didn't all go to waste. You've just given me an idea. I'll go ask Mike instead. He'll have someone for Donna."

Harvey snorted at the poor idea. Mike's friends were likely immature boys who were only good for pool parties and burger joints. Five minutes into the date, Donna would smash their heads with one of her designer handbags. On second thought, she wouldn't. Their heads would stain and devalue her handbags.

While Harvey kept those thoughts to himself, Louis continued to sit there. Hadn't they'd come to an understanding that Harvey wasn't going to _lend_ his friends? Before he could invite his _guest_ out, Louis inquired, "What kind of a man does Donna like? What's her type? Any specifics?"

Everyone knew Harvey and Donna had been colleagues and friends for a long time. But did Louis truly believe they shared cocktails, braided each other's hair, had pillow fights, and discussed about their preferred types? Apart from the pillow fight - which Harvey thought would be kind of fun - nothing about those prospects appealed to him. He was especially not interested in listening to Donna talk about other men. Even they had boundaries.

Harvey ignored the question and yawned, an attempt to chase Louis out of his office. When Louis didn't move, he had to go for the direct approach. "Go. Away. Louis." Each syllable was deliberately enunciated with utmost annoyance.

 _There, that had to be straightforward enough._

"Fine, fine. I only came to you because I thought you'd care about Donna's happiness," Louis mumbled as he headed out. "See you in Jessica's office at four?"

"I'll be there," Harvey replied, already dreading their bi-weekly managing partners meeting.

Outside his office, Donna was making a beeline for her desk. She looked like she was ready to murder Louis, which meant the truth about fake-call-Malcolm was out. Louis covered his face with a folder and took off in the opposite direction. Harvey watched the childishness play out before his eyes and stifled a laugh. It was just like Louis to believe that Donna wouldn't see him simply because they hadn't made eye contact.

Donna turned to Harvey and mouthed, _"What the hell?"_

He shrugged and watched Donna chase after Louis. Harvey wished he could join her hunt down, but he had a case to work on.

Hours later, however, he was no where near being productive. It was impossible to get anything done when Louis's words repetitively echoed in his mind.

 _'Donna tells me she's looking for the one. She's done with casual dating and wants to settle down.'_

That was only one of two niggling thoughts that distracted him. _The lesser evil._ It was the other thing that Louis had said which bothered him to no ends.

 _'I thought you'd care about Donna's happiness.'_

Harvey did care about Donna's happiness. Because he cared, he was going to find out where her date would be. Because he cared, he was going to make sure the man Louis set her up with was good enough. If she was looking to settle down with 'the one', as her long time friend, it was his duty to look out for her. At least, that was how Harvey justified his reasons for wanting to crash Donna's blind date.

Because he cared.

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 **A/N (aka. Author's Nonsense): Right, Harvey. Justify** **away, my man. By the way, i** **f you happen to have a friend who deserves to date Donna, please contact Louis. He really needs to borrow one urgently.**

 ***Courtesy Matters:** Once again, just adopting the characters for a while. Still don't own any of them - because if I did, the imaginary indie band I'd formed with them would have sold a billion records, and we'd now be teaching less privileged kids how to sing and dance. Mad and unlikely? Right...I should really do something about my daydreaming tendencies.


	2. Elephant in a Suit

**2 - ELEPHANT IN A SUIT**

* * *

Harvey discovered new meanings to the words 'self-inflicted torture'. It involved spending hours in Louis's company, hoping to uncover a tiny shred of information about Donna's blind date. Not only had Harvey subjected himself to hours of Shakespeare, mudding, and cat talk, he'd also had to bite back his retort at every ridiculous alias Louis used for himself. If his willingness to kill his ears and atrophy his brain with _Litt-ism_ wasn't proof of how much he 'cared' for Donna, he didn't know what else would be. Just when Harvey was on the verge of giving up, the call bearing his _enlightenment_ came.

Next to Harvey, Louis excitedly answered his phone. "Please tell me he agreed. ( _pause_ ) Yes! ( _fist pump. pause_ ) Where? ( _pause_ ) _Masato's_ at 7.30. ( _pause_ ) She'll be there!"

Following the conversation, Harvey noted that Donna would be having her date at an outrageously expensive Japanese restaurant downtown. From how happy Louis sounded, the mysterious man also appeared to be a winner too. His speculations were confirmed as soon as Louis hung up the phone.

"Guess what?" Louis asked, his chest puffed out with pride.

"You are the _real_ Doctor Strange _,_ " Harvey answered jadedly. He meant no insult to the superhero, but after hours of verbal suppression, he had to quip back somehow. And the literal name seemed so fitting for Louis and his oddities.

"Ha-ha. Whatever, Harvey. I'm in such a good mood that I won't even hold it against you." Louis took a deep breath, pointed to himself and exclaimed, "It's official! Call me the _God of Love_ because I'm about to _Litt-Up_ Donna's date. The guy I found for Donna is a friend of a friend who looks…Harvey, you should see this guy. He's simply A-MA-ZING and comes with such glowing recommendations…"

Louis was still talking, but Harvey wasn't comprehending a single word. For one, the other man had given himself a creepy alias again, and there was no way in hell that Harvey would ever call Louis the _God of Anything_. More importantly, he'd gotten what he came for - a time and place for Donna's date. His poor ears were already crying tears of relief, bidding an end to this self-inflicted torture.

"Oh, I think I'm supposed to be somewhere else…doing something else," Harvey interrupted and rudely walked away.

Louis was feeling so pleased with himself that he wasn't even offended by the brush off. "I'm telling you, Harvey. I kicked ass! I'm off to share the excellent news with Donna."

Harvey pretended not to hear, his mind weirdly filled with images of sashimis. He was also feeling various degrees of annoyance as he started for Mike's office, needing an ally of sorts.

Mike was scribbling on a notepad when Harvey cut right to the chase. "Thursday, 7.30 P.M. Masato's. Wear a damn suit."

The junior partner opened and closed his mouth a few times, deciding his next words. He finally settled on the most logical one. "Why?"

"We need to see someone."

A meaningless answer. 'Someone' was Donna, but Harvey decided he wouldn't say anything until he had to. For now, he'd let Mike believe they were meeting a client because he wasn't in the mood to explain anything.

"Okay?" Mike studied Harvey's stoic face for a moment. "Is this where I pretend that I'm not curious, and then you parade away quietly, trying to look all cool and suave?"

"Not _trying_. And I. Never. Parade." Harvey stuck both hands in his pockets, turned around, and strode out of the workplace.

Faintly, he heard Mike chuckle and yell from behind, "Grandpa's got swag!"

 _Wonderful. Another elderly joke._ Harvey decided to let this one go. There were more important matters that warranted his attention - an important woman to be exact.

* * *

"Why are we here again?" Mike mumbled as he flipped through the menu, disturbed by the high prices.

"Just order. I'm paying," Harvey said as he search around the restaurant. It was already 7.35 P.M., but Donna was no where to be seen.

 _Typical_ , Harvey recalled. Back in the DA days, she'd once preached the _Donna-ism of Dating_ to Harvey. It dictated that she showed up at least fifteen minutes late on first dates because 'there's no way I am going to let him see me waiting for him' _-_ her own words. She'd reasoned that it was a sign of a woman's desperation. He had stared at Donna like she'd sprouted two heads and countered that the _Harvey-ism of Dating_ dictated that he would bail if the woman was late on their first date. They'd agreed to disagree.

Harvey covertly studied every single male occupant seated at a table set for two. She could be joining any of them. Putting his _Sherlock_ skills to use, he made mental notes on each one.

 _Too much gel. Sniffs loudly. Yikes, a ponytail. Hell, a nose ring? In a prestigious restaurant – seriously? Okay, distracted…next…Too beardy. Clothes too fitting._

Harvey knew he shouldn't judge people based on first impressions, but he also read people for a living. Instinctively, he could tell that none of these men were going to interest Donna.

Muttering under his breath, Harvey chided himself - he should have known better than to trust Louis's judgment. "Simply A-MA-ZING, _my ass_."

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"Nevermind."

Harvey realized he had nothing to worry about. _Wait – worry?_ No, he came to make sure Donna's date was good enough for her. This unimpressive turnout should have _disappointed_ him.

Secretly though, he was feeling oddly relieved. Harvey dropped the menu onto the table. "I made a mistake. I remembered the date wrong. Let's finish our drinks and get out of here."

Oblivious to the real purpose of their visit, Mike smirked. "Did you know that a muddy memory is a sign of aging? When's your birthday? I'm buying you one of those dictaphones that Louis worships. You two can be _Dicta-bros_ \- ooh, that can totally be the name of your club."

"Old jokes again. How original! You can stay if you want. Without this old man, let's see if _Puppy_ can afford this place."

Years in the firm and Mike still couldn't get rid of his nickname. Even being promoted to junior partner hadn't made a difference. He was still ' _Puppy'_.

"Hell no! I don't even like Sushi," Mike lied. He loved it so much that he'd been willing to blindly accompany Harvey to this dinner.

While Harvey gave his credit card to the waiter and asked for the check, across the table, Mike's eyes suddenly widened with interest. As if in a hypnotized state, he sighed, "Woah…"

The junior partner looked so riveted that Harvey couldn't help but turn to see for himself.

A tall, broad-shouldered man had just entered the restaurant. He wore a severe all black suit - even his shirt and tie were black - and moved with a confident edge. His thick copper hair was styled in a fashionable undercut, and though it contrasted with his thick-rimmed nerd glasses, put together, it gave him an air of urbane sophistication. He sported a tidy goatee, and with high cheekbones and a defined jawline, the man looked like he'd walked out of a GQ magazine photoshoot. When he flashed his winning smile at the waitress, he charmed her without even having to say anything.

If this was Donna's date, then ' _woah'_ was definitely the right reaction. Harvey was feeling rankled when it got worse. Well, from Donna's point of view, it probably just got more perfect.

"Pardon me, I called earlier about arriving ten minutes late. I have a table reserved for two," GQ said to the waitress, his deep voice traveled clearly across the room.

 _Great._ GQ had a classy British accent, inevitably adding to his intrigue factor. It meant he was absolutely going to sweep Donna off her feet. _Or not._ Harvey held on to the last string of hope that GQ, fashionable spawn of Bond, might not be her date after all.

When the waitress seated GQ at the far corner, Mike mindlessly blurted, "He's so dreamy…"

Harvey whirled around to give the junior partner a death stare. Mike suddenly realized his ogling had long left the _Land of Awe_ to the _Land of Disturbing_. He cleared his throat once and attempted to justify himself. "Uh, I was just appreciating him purely from a man's perspective. Like how a man thinks another man looks very manly type of manly thoughts."

"Yes, say ' _man'_ more. It's definitely helping," Harvey inserted sarcastically, his eyes narrowed into thin slits. He knew Mike didn't harbor any romantic interest, but this was revenge for all those age jokes he'd had to put up with.

Under Harvey's scrutiny, Mike sheepishly stood up. "I'll be right back. Let me call Rachel. Maybe it'll help me get in touch with my masculinity for a bit." With that, Mike left the table to shake off his embarrassment.

The check came and just as Harvey was about to sign it, a slight movement by the entrance caught his eye.

 _Donna_.

She was in a sleek black dress that showed off her red hair, styled in a simple classic wave. Everything about her radiated exquisiteness. _Work Donna_ had always been beautiful. _Date Donna_ was breathtakingly elegant. For a moment, Harvey couldn't look away. He almost forgot himself when Donna's gaze wandered across the restaurant, searching for her date. Harvey quickly angled back, trying his best to hide from her. When he dared to look again, the waitress had already guided Donna to her table.

 _Damn it._ It was GQ's table.

GQ stood to greet Donna. They exchanged a few words before he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. He gestured forward and pulled out a chair for her. Donna smiled shyly and nodded her thanks, unmistakably charmed by the chivalry. The vision of GQ-the-gentleman making a very good first impression had Harvey unconsciously gripping the corners of the table.

Mike returned at that moment, unaware of Harvey's internal frustrations. "Okay, Harvey. I'm ready. Let's go eat somewhere else. I'm starving. How about we go to that diner-"

"Sit," Harvey gritted out.

"But...I don't understand..."

With one look at Harvey's expression, Mike sat down obediently. The poor kid had to be confused at Harvey's bipolar behavior. Maybe he should get himself checked for it because all evening, Harvey was anything but emotionally stable. Oddly, he was also unable to tear his gaze away from Donna and her date.

Mike turned to see what Harvey was glaring at and finally understood what the entire evening was about. Dramatically, he said, "Ahhh. And the mystery is solved. Please allow me to savor this very rare and sacred moment."

"Mike, stop staring at your man crush."

The junior partner ignored Harvey's orders, bowed his head, shut his eyes and brought his hands together in prayer. "To my guardian angels. Thank you for letting me live to see the day Harvey Specter is _out-suited_ , _out-haired_ …" Mike opened one eye to sneak a peek at Harvey before continuing, "and _out-jawed_ by another man."

 _Right_. Harvey's jawline had always been a point of fascination for Mike. Harvey never dared to ask why, and he absolutely didn't want to ponder over it.

"Shut up," Harvey grumbled, crossing his arms as he slumped back into the chair. It was bad enough that he had to tolerate Mike's elderly jokes. After tonight, he was never going to hear the end of this.

Unexpectedly, however, Mike sobered and asked in a more helpful tone, "What do we do now?" When Harvey's brow knitted together, he added, "What? You brought me here as your wingman, right? So tell me, what's our grand plan?"

Harvey shook his head once. "No grand plan. I came to make sure Louis didn't set her up with a douchebag. It's a blind date, so you never know."

To be honest, GQ didn't look anything close to a 'douchebag'. He seemed like the perfect gentleman. Moreover, he could even potentially be right for Donna. As much as Harvey hated to admit, at bare minimum, GQ was a match for her in the 'attractive' department. All of a sudden, Harvey wished Louis had set Donna up with ponytail or nose-ring guy. He would have left this place long before now.

Mike stood up with renewed enthusiasm. "Then, let's do that. Let's go check this guy out and see if he's decent. I mean he looks good enough. Ahem. Once again, purely an objective appreciation on my part. But looks can be deceiving, right? He might be a serial killer…or a mob…or a spy…or a CEO of a successful startup…or a billionaire…or a duke…"

"Not helping," Harvey interjected. Those latter descriptors combined with GQ's looks would be impossible for Donna to resist.

"Relax, Harvey. I'm on your side. We'll go introduce ourselves and find out about him." Mike lowered his head, as if he was about to share a secret. "Besides, if Donna's date goes well with that guy, I'll lose my money. I've got high stakes on ' _Darvey'_ in the office betting pool."

"What the hell is _Darv-_?" Harvey halted mid-word as realization quickly dawned upon him. "That's not why I'm here. I'm carrying out my due diligence as Donna's friend."

Mike eyed Harvey skeptically. " _Okay..._ then, why are you still sitting there? We should go do your _friend_ thing now."

Seeing there was nothing to lose, Harvey eventually consented. As they headed towards Donna's table, he realized Mike looked too cheerful for his own good, an eager bounce in his gait. When he caught sight of Mike's full teeth grin, Harvey wasn't sure if he'd just signed up for trouble or help. Keeping his voice low and firm, he warned, "Mike, behave."

* * *

As soon as Donna saw them approaching, her lips pulled back into a tight smile. She was clearly unhappy to see them. Then again, what right-minded woman would remain pleasant knowing that her date was about to take a disastrous turn?

Mike took the honors of breaking the ice. "Donna! I can't believe we ran into you here of all places."

 _Subtlety? None._ Harvey took a deep breath, resisting his urge to intervene. He was equal parts nervous and curious at what Mike had up his sleeves. At that over-the-top greeting, both GQ and Donna rose to their feet. While GQ gave them a pleasant nod, Donna's eyes bore violently into Harvey's. He responded with an artless smile.

Ever the loyal self-appointed wingman, Mike saved Harvey from being 'eyed-to-death' by playing the etiquette card. "Who's your friend, Donna? Please! Introduce us!"

At Mike's shameless prompt, Donna remembered her manners and made the necessary introductions.

"This is Mike Ross, a junior partner at my law firm. And he _loves_ it when people call him _Puppy_." GQ's eyes widened with disbelief but was polite enough to force a smile as Mike choked at the unexpected foreword. As usual, Donna was deadly when it came to verbal revenge. Harvey was contemplating how sad his fate would be when she gestured towards him. "This is Harvey Specter, one of the managing partners at Pearson Specter Litt, Mike's mentor, and also my boss. I work as his assistant."

Harvey slowly relaxed, thankful that Donna had not embarrassed him in front of the stranger.

"Mike. Harvey. This is Alistair Kavanagh. Aside from his name, I know nothing else about him because... _you two came over,_ " Donna bit out and grinned daggers at the both of them.

 _Alistair Kavanagh_ _._ Even GQ's name screamed blue blood. _Hell. Royal hell._

Harvey quickly reminded himself that GQ's presumed royalty was supposed to be a positive thing for Donna. He _should_ be glad for her. It seemed, however, 'should' was not his strong front tonight. Before he could shake off the uncomfortable debate inside him, Donna's date extended a hand towards Harvey.

"It's nice to meet you. You can call me Al."

"Harvey." He shook Al's hand and exchanged a few polite words. Once Al turned his attention to Mike, Donna inched closer to Harvey and spoke in a volume that only he could hear, "Go away." Harvey didn't budge. If Donna wanted to get rid of him, she was going to have to say it out loud. And then, of course, she did. "Harvey. May I have a quick word with you?" She swiveled to address Al. "I forgot to brief Harvey on something he will need tomorrow. I'll be right back. Mike will keep you company in the meantime."

Harvey hoped by ' _something he will need'_ , she didn't mean _his life_. Because if eyes could scorch, Donna was going to burn him into ashes the instant they were alone. Next to them, Mike nodded amiably, afraid to provoke the redhead with his smart mouth again. She grabbed Harvey's elbow and dragged him away to a safe distance where their conversation would not be overheard.

"What the hell, Harvey? And save me the bullshit about this whole situation being a coincidence."

Donna didn't sound too angry. She was mostly…displeased. Too tired to keep track of lies, fake reasons, and fronts, Harvey didn't bother to fabricate an excuse. "I heard about your blind date. I came to see if he's good enough."

Donna sighed. "On a first date? It's not like I'm marrying him tomorrow."

"It's a dangerous world. We know nothing about the man, except that he's from another country. And the fact that Mike has a crush on him."

They both turned to watch Mike and Al, currently engaged in a very animated conversation.

"Mike, really? Poor Rachel," Donna said wryly. For a moment, she forgot about interrogating Harvey.

"It's an infatuation. I don't think Mike would pose any serious threat. That is...if you're worried about competition," Harvey teased. "But if you leave them alone for too long, anything can happen."

Donna's expression turned solemn again when she faced him once more. "Come on, Harvey. Be serious. This looks like a promising date, and you're ruining it."

 _Promising date_. He hid a frown, not wanting to acknowledge his disappointment. Donna deserved a good time and honestly, his first impressions of Al wasn't bad at all. He'd come to do his duty and since she'd judged the candidate as a 'promising date', his deed was undoubtedly done.

Silencing the protest his mind was flagging, Harvey conceded, "We'll leave. But promise to call me if...you need anything, okay?"

He'd wanted to say _'if something goes wrong'_ , but it would have sounded like he was jinxing her date. He had no such intention.

Donna reluctantly agreed, "I will. Thank you. I know you mean well."

Harvey offered her a faint smile. "Just...don't tell him everything. You're an amazing woman, Donna. You deserve a man who really sees you. Someone who will fight for you. So make the man work for it, alright?"

With a playful wink, Harvey headed on to fetch Mike. Only when he reached the table did he realize Donna had not followed back. She was probably still unhappy about their interruption and it was best he got Mike out of there fast so her date could continue.

"Mike, we've got work to do. Let's go." The junior partner stood, catching on to Harvey's excuse to leave. In the spur of the moment, Harvey felt the need to do one more thing. He offered his hand to Donna's date again. "We're leaving. Again, it was nice to meet you, Al." When they shook hands, Harvey bent forward and threatened softly, "If you hurt her, you'll answer to me."

Pulling his hand back, Harvey plastered a sunny smile on his face, as if they were discussing the weather or the color of the tablecloth.

Across him, Al momentarily went motionless before responding, "Of course. It was nice to meet you, too."

On their way out, they crossed paths with Donna once more. Mike patted her on the shoulder. "See you, Donna. Have a good time. Harvey, I'll go and ask Ray to bring the car over," Mike said before walking out the restaurant.

Harvey lingered behind, realizing Donna was looking at him… _differently_ _?_ _Expectantly_? _Confusedly?_ He couldn't even find the right adjective to describe it. "Are you okay?"

She swallowed, her shoulders stiff. "Yes. I'm fine."

Donna didn't seem ' _fine',_ the quiet confidence Harvey witnessed earlier was gone. Thinking she was nervous about the date, he decided to put her at ease with one of their usual rituals - the one where he offered her unwanted advice.

"If he turns out to be an asshole, knee him in the groin. _Hard._ Remember what I taught you."

Donna had learned a few self-defense moves from Harvey. He'd insisted it when they'd worked on a disturbing rape case a few years ago. At the off-hand comment, the corners of her lips turned up, and a sense of familiarity was restored between them.

"Leave, Harvey. I don't need your dating advice."

"Who said anything about _you_ needing them? _I_ needed to give them for my own peace of mind. You know? So I can say _'I told you so'_ later." After the jest, he said in a more genuine manner, "Actually, I don't ever want to have to say that to you if I can help it. Enjoy the date, Donna. I hope Al turns out to be a good one."

He didn't have to like her date, but he would never wish anything less than happiness for Donna.

 _See, Louis?_ He really did care.

* * *

While standing outside the restaurant and waiting for Ray to pick them up, Mike kept babbling on and on about his new friend.

"Did you know that Al's an Executive Creative Director at _Stance and Smith_? It's one of the top three advertising agencies in the world! How cool is that? He just got transferred here from London six months ago. His work is mind-blowing. You remember that ad with the dog on the rollercoaster…"

 _Dogs on rollercoasters…seriously_? Harvey wasn't listening anymore, almost expiring with boredom. It was one thing to think about Donna dating the man. Hearing about Al's legacy was not something he cared for. He was so relieved when the car pulled up, thinking it was the end of GQ's _audio biography._ As soon as they settled inside, Mike's admiration for the man continued to bludgeon Harvey's eardrums.

"I get it. He's your new idol," Harvey cut in blandly.

"Awww. Don't be jealous. You'll always be my number one guy," Mike teased. There was a brief moment of silence that Harvey gratefully embraced. One that lasted for only fifteen seconds before Mike broke it again. "What did you say to Al? When you two shook hands, he actually went pale."

Harvey glanced out the window, uncertain what the sensible response was. Honestly, he didn't know what came over him, issuing a possessive threat like that. He'd never done it before but back there in the restaurant, he couldn't stop himself. Now, he wasn't sure if it had been appropriate at all. Sensing Mike's stare still trained on him, Harvey decided to make something silly up. "Nothing important. I told him that New York City has elephants."

His inane answer was met with silence, and Harvey thought that was the end of the topic. Maybe Mike was smart enough to let matters go. _Maybe not._

"Right...and I'm in a car with one. Wearing an expensive suit, too," Mike said. Harvey wasn't sure, but he thought he heard the kid mumbling, "Denial, denial."

"Shut up, _Puppy_."

* * *

 **A/N (aka. Author's Nonsense):** **I couldn't resist having Mike address the _elephant_ in the room - well, in the _car_ to be literally correct. Yay! Score ONE for _Puppy!_** **The next chapter is titled 'Dawn and Harby' - just in case you're in the mood to guess where the story is going.** **Thank you for reading and reviewing.**


	3. Dawn and Harby

**3 - DAWN AND HARBY**

* * *

 _Buzz. Buzz. Buzz._

Harvey woke to the sound of a maddening hum. It took him awhile to process that it was his phone, vibrating on the bedside table. Rubbing his eyes, he glanced tiredly at the alarm clock. It was 2.13 A.M. _Who would be calling at such an ungodly hour?_ If it turned out to be a misdial, he was prepared to recite very memorable verses from _Harvey's Greatest Hits of Beautiful Profanities_.

He sluggishly reached for the phone and when he spotted Donna's name flashing on the screen, it instantly triggered him into full alert mode.

 _'We'll leave. But, promise to call me if...you need anything...'_

Earlier, he'd left her with those words, but Harvey hadn't thought she would 'actually' call -and especially not at two in the morning. Streaks of cold fear coursed through his veins. Before his imaginations could run too wild, he frantically answered the phone.

"Donna! What's wrong?"

"Hellloooooo," Donna crooned from the other end of the line.

Her 'hello' was positively too bubbly for a woman in trouble. Harvey let out a long breath, waiting for the delayed sense of relief to wash over him. Still, his poor heart raced and thudded heavily against his chest. Obviously, _beautiful profanities_ were no longer required. Harvey needed a very strong sedative instead. God, the redhead was going to be the death of him.

At least, Donna didn't sound like she was in pain. She wasn't hurt. Or kidnapped. _Wait, kidnapped?_ Thanks to every hostage movie he'd ever watched, the mad and improbable scenario had crossed his mind. First of all, why would anyone kidnap Donna? And even if she was taken, what could he realistically do? Yes, he could throw a mean punch, but it wasn't like he possessed any CIA skills to track down or save anyone's hide. Donna would probably have a higher chance of survival by fending off the abductor with her stilettos.

Where was all this nonsense coming from? _Seriously, no more hostage movies._ He was thoroughly distracted, his brain dysfunctional as he willed himself to calm down.

"Harby?" Donna's voice yanked him back to the present.

He blinked. _What d_ _id she just call him?_

"Donna, are you drunk?" Harvey asked, pressing his ear closer to the phone. He could make out noises in the background. _Clinks. Faint chattering. Live music._

"Whaaaat? Daawwwwwwn never druuuuuunk..."

Which automatically translated into 'I'm so very drunk'.

Donna drunk-dialing him was a first. She could usually hold her drinks and would never allow herself to get so inebriated. This over-drinking was so out of character that a different kind of worry crept into his mind.

"Where are you?" His question was met with a loud _clunk._ "Donna? Hello?"

A few shuffling noises later, a man's voice came through the line. He didn't speak with a British accent, which meant she was no longer with Al.

"Hi. I'm a bartender at _McMillan's_. Is this lady your friend? She...uh…I think she just passed out on our counter."

Harvey asked the man for the bar's address and quickly washed up. He didn't bother to change out of his Henley shirt and sweat pants, needing to get to Donna as soon as possible. At such a late hour, it was unlikely that he'd run into his clients anyway. He impatiently shrugged on a duffle coat and hurried down to hail a cab.

On his way to see Donna, Harvey wondered what had gone wrong. _Promising dates_ didn't end with a woman drunk-dialing other people. And it definitely didn't involve another man in the equation. The overthinking drove him into sheer restlessness, and he had to remind himself that there was no need to work himself into a frenzy yet. As he watched the streetlights blur by, Harvey consciously stuck to the facts - Donna was safe, and he would see her soon.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Harvey arrived at the bar to find Donna asleep by the counter. He paid for her drinks, startled at the long list of orders. With a mix of gin, wine, rum, and everything in between, she'd practically turned herself into a hybrid human cocktail. It was no surprise that she'd ended up in such a bad state.

"Donna?" Harvey nudged her lightly.

She opened one eye, squinting against the light. Harvey gave her a once over, searching for signs of injuries. Other than the eye-squint, she appeared to be fine. He'd probably worried over nothing. At least physically, Donna seemed unharmed and it made it easier for him to breathe.

"Harby? Isss daaat you? You err litto blurrrry."

There it was again - _the name_. So, he hadn't imagined it earlier.

For over a decade, never once had Donna called him that. Interestingly though, for someone who hated being called ' _Harv'_ , he found that he didn't much mind ' _Harby',_ most probably because it was Donna's name for him.

"Yes. It's _Harby,"_ he answered, suppressing the urge to laugh. Coming out from his own mouth, it sounded unbelievably ridiculous.

"Helloooo Harby," Donna greeted energetically. She pointed towards his hair. "Messsy hairrr isss lurrrvely. Me likkkeeee. Shoood dooo morrr offff-ten."

He scrubbed his fingers through his hair, suddenly feeling self-conscious. He'd left home without giving it a second thought. Next to him, Donna pouted, seemingly frustrated that he was trying to right it back to his usual style. Who knew Donna had a thing for bedhead looks?

Harvey bit back a smile. He'd seen her tipsy before but never quite this drunk. _Tipsy Donna_ had a clever tongue. _Very_ _Drunk Donna_ was proving to be all kinds of ditsy and oh-so-very-amusing.

"Do you think you can walk?" Harvey asked. It would be easier to just haul Donna out, but there were other customers in the bar. There was no need to create a scene.

"Yesss. Dawn kennnn walk."

Her drawl came out sounding like a Jedi's name, and because Harvey was sleep deprived and functioning on a post-anxiety muddled brain, he permitted the sci-fi geek in him to say, "Then walk, we shall...Dawn-Ken-Walk." She wobbled on her feet, knees barely holding up. Harvey discreetly moved forward to drape one arm across her waist. "Easy, now. Let's get you out of here."

Dawn-Ken-Walk was more Dawn-Ken- _Almost_ -Walk, leaving Harvey to carry most of her weight. As he half-dragged Donna across the bar, he was careful not to draw attention from prying eyes. Impulsively, he also questioned why 'able to walk drunk self home' wasn't a more celebrated skill. Harvey could hardly make it all the way across the bar without having to stop and catch his breath. _Autonomous walking is too underrated_ , Harvey thought. People should absolutely put that skill on their resumes more often.

Once outside, Harvey scooped Donna up in his arms and settled her inside the waiting cab. Without keys to her place, he gave the driver instructions to take them back to his apartment.

Donna began to mumble incomprehensible words, and the cab driver raised his brows at Harvey, a sympathetic lop-sided smile splitting across his face.

Harvey nodded shyly in response. "At least, she's a happy drunk."

"That...she is," the driver agreed politely.

Out of the blue, Donna announced to the two male citizens of Yellow Cab, "Je ne parle pas français." Ironically, the woman was using French to say she couldn't speak French. Then, she turned to Harvey and sang, " _Look at this stuff, isn't it neat?"_

When drunk, Donna couldn't speak English properly - she referred to herself in third person and garbled her words. But in French or in song, her articulation was eerily flawless. Harvey chuckled, entertained by all the discoveries. He wasn't going to let her live this one down. _Very_ _Drunk Donna_ gave him such valuable materials to tease her with for years to come.

"Yes, Donna. I promise that _this stuff_ is going to be a very _neat_ story."

* * *

By the time the cab pulled up to his place, Donna had worn herself out again. Her head lolled on his shoulder, already on her way to _lala-land_. With the help of the doorman, Harvey carried her into his apartment. Because he'd long transformed his guest room into a storage, he only had his couch or bed to offer. He decided against the couch. Since Donna would be suffering a horrible hangover tomorrow, he didn't want to add backache to her ailments.

Harvey was in the middle of tucking her in when Donna's eyes flickered open. She abruptly sat up and blinked excessively. It took a moment before she recognized the surroundings, and a few seconds longer to register his presence.

"Harvey? What's going on? Why am I here?"

"Hello, Sleepyhead. You were drunk."

Harvey was certain that she still was. But Donna also seemed clearheaded enough to carry a conversation. He was no longer ' _Harby'_ , and her words didn't slur as much. He poured a glass of water and held it out for her.

"And you had to come get me? Sorry," Donna muttered, taking the glass from him. "Thanks."

"It's not a problem," Harvey reassured.

She drank a few gulps and placed the glass on the bedside table. Observing her closely, Harvey wasn't sure how sober she was. Her eyes were shiny and glazed, her movements slower than usual. But he had questions he wanted answers to. Like why was she alone at the bar? Why had she drunk so much? Was she sad? Why had she called him?

He started from the beginning. "So, how did the date go?"

"It was the best! Well...until Al said he didn't want to get in between...," Donna trailed off with a frown.

" _In between_? What happened?"

Donna wrinkled her nose. "You. Harvey. Specter. Happened."

 _'If you hurt her, you'll answer to me.'_

Had his impromptu threat chased Donna's best date away? Harvey gritted his teeth, feeling guilty for warning GQ off. Maybe he'd been too harsh. He was about to apologize when Donna spoke again.

"Al said he could sense something was off. He asked if you're really just my boss...or is there something else going on between us. He asked what you mean to me. And I…I couldn't give him a straight answer." She looked Harvey in the eye and jabbed his chest. "Why, Harvey? Why did you have to spoil everything?"

"Ow!" Harvey caught her finger, stilling it in a tight clasp. "What are you saying? Why did you call me, Donna?"

In a tone filled with both despair and confusion, she muttered, "You said all those sweet words about me deserving a man who fights for me. Someone who really sees me. You winked. Then...you just left. You just left..."

"Donna, I didn't mean...," Harvey began but realized there was nothing to explain. He'd done exactly everything she'd described, and for the life of him, he couldn't string together logical words. He found himself tongue-tied.

Donna shook her head and untangled her hand from his. "I know you didn't..."

She gave him a grim smile, slid back down the bed and faced away. Against the pillow, she whispered, "Of course, it hadn't been fair to Al. I mean what man wants to date a woman who is hopelessly in love with the great Harvey Specter?"

Harvey's breath hitched in his throat. Her words had been barely audible, but he was sure that he'd heard it right.

"Donna?"

 _Silence. Except for her steady breathing._

She was lying very still in his bed. Even when he reached out to gently brush a strand of hair away from her face, Donna didn't stir at his touch. She was completely out of it. _Terrific_. Their discussion would have to wait.

There on after, Harvey operated mostly on auto-pilot. He tucked her in properly and switched off the lights. Picking up a spare pillow from the bed, he headed for the living room couch. It was almost four in the morning, but sleep was the last thing on Harvey's mind.

All he could think about was Donna's almost confession.

* * *

They'd hooked up once after Harvey quit the DA. Because of her _no-getting-involved-with-co-workers_ rule, he'd shown up at her door the moment they weren't colleagues anymore. There was no mistaking that Donna had felt something deeper for him that night; they'd connected passionately beyond the physical sense. But when Donna joined the firm, their intimate encounter became an unspoken and untouchable past - as if it never even happened. They'd implicitly come to an understanding to never cross the line again. Over the years, they'd undeniably danced to it, but they were nothing but harmless flirtations.

The truth was...Harvey loved her. From their DA days until now, he never stopped loving her, and there was nothing platonic about his sentiments. Not even close. For the longest time, Harvey was _in love_ with Donna.

But for her sake, he'd pushed aside his own feelings. Time and time again, she'd made it clear that she would not tangle personal life with business. It complicated matters. She was good at drawing limits too, and though Harvey usually didn't give a damn about rules, when it came to Donna's principles, he wasn't cavalier about it. On the contrary, he'd always been extra careful.

It hadn't been easy for him to watch her date other men, but he'd kept quiet. All this time, Donna had shown no inclination that she wanted more from him. _Or with him_. He'd even been under the impression that she'd moved on completely.

It wasn't that Harvey didn't want to admit his feelings for Donna. But since he couldn't do anything about it, he'd learned how not to acknowledge it anymore. It was the only way he could be normal around her. The only way he could play the role she expected him to play. And because he'd been willing to do everything and anything to keep her by his side, Harvey had settled on giving Donna what she needed - his friendship.

Knowing that she could possibly love him back changed everything. In spite of Donna's bothersome rule, if there was a chance that she would have him, Harvey was prepared to fight the odds. He'd never doubted that they could be happy together. He just had to show her that they were worth breaking the rule for.

'... _in love with Harvey Specter...'_

For hours, her words replayed in his mind. Before he knew it, the sun was rising, lighting up the skyline. Harvey walked out to the balcony and basked in its soft warmth. There, he waited patiently for Donna to wake up, and as the sun's glow breathed life into the city, he felt the corner of his lips gradually curved upwards.

Harvey was very much aware that he was smiling like an idiot. And a willing one too because it was a new _dawn_ , and _Harby_ was hopeful that everything was about to change for the better. _For them_.

* * *

 **A/N (aka. Author's Nonsense):** **...and while writing this chapter, the author also smiled like an idiot along with _Harby_.**

 **"De fluffinezz ish juzztt beeegeeeening..." Wise Quote by Dawn-Ken-Walk (said when still quite drunk)**

 **Thank you for reading and supporting the story so far.** **A special shout out to those who left a review. I enjoyed reading your thoughts! _(Me: appreciating every review with a mental scream 'Weeeeeee!')_** **How's your fluff tolerance faring?** **I hope the chapter was able to make you smile. Maybe, just a little?**


	4. Eavesdrop, Pick a Dwarf, Improvise

**4 - EAVESDROP, PICK A DWARF, IMPROVISE**

* * *

 **A/N:** A big thanks to all you kind and beautiful souls for giving the story a chance. Two chapters [4 and 5] posted today.

* * *

"Harvey?"

He looked up to find Donna standing by his bedroom, one hand holding her head while the other was rubbing her eyes. Judging from the stiff motions, she was undoubtedly suffering from a monstrous headache.

"Morning," Harvey greeted softly, careful not to aggravate her condition. When she didn't move right away, he gestured to the seat beside him. "I made coffee and toasts. Come and join me."

Donna dragged her feet over and slumped against the countertop. "There should be a global agenda to rename this whole _hangover_ business. Nothing about it is _over._ They should call it _hang-never-ending,_ " she mumbled.

Harvey was torn between amusement and empathy as he slid a plate of toasts across. "You'll feel better after you have something. Try it. Best in the city. Exclusively available at Harvey's."

"Wow...I didn't know _burnt toasts_ required such advanced culinary skills. Master Chef _needs_ you badly," Donna replied sarcastically before picking up a piece. In a gentler tone, she apologized, "Sorry, I'm just-"

"It's fine. I know it's the wino-cells talking," Harvey reassured in good humor. In spite of her unfavorable remarks, Donna was seemingly hungry enough that _burnt toasts_ became perfectly edible. Harvey drank his coffee and quietly watched her eat.

 _Why is she looking so calm and collected?_ As if she hadn't just turned his world upside down only a few hours ago. He could hardly keep still in his seat. Despite appearances, Harvey couldn't stop mulling over last night's revelations. He had a thousand questions to ask but didn't know how to broach the subject. While he was wrestling with his edgy nerves, the woman next to him was exhibiting the flawless _Etiquette of Casual Eating_.

 _Unbelievable_. _Who is this Ice Queen sitting next to him?_

"How did I end up here?" Donna asked. There was genuine wonder written all over her face. Harvey searched for signs of recognition but couldn't find any. So, there it was. Donna wasn't _Ice Queen_. She was just scatterbrained. No wonder she was looking so unaffected.

Donna glanced towards Harvey and mistook his fixed gaze as scrutiny.

"Harvey! I know I look like a fright, but at least have the decency to pretend to be a gentleman! Stop staring at me like that!"

Harvey remembered himself and shook his head. Even with slightly mussed hair and faded make-up, he thought she looked endearing. For once, he didn't even hold back words. "I think you look lovely, Donna."

A rosy blush crept across her cheeks as she looked away. Still, she stubbornly took his compliment as mockery. "Says the man in his made-to-measure suit and impeccably styled hair. Seriously, what happened?"

"Exactly how much of last night do you remember?"

Her brows dropped as she recollected her memory out loud. "After you left, Al and I had dinner. Then, he took me to a dessert place two blocks away. We spent an hour there before he walked me home, and…" Donna bit her lips, a tell that she was sorting through an unpleasant event inside her mind. Harvey waited patiently for her to continue when at last, she shrugged and gave him a 'skip-over-the-bad-parts' version. "We said our goodbyes. But I wasn't sleepy, so I went to check out a new bar that Rachel recommended. I remember ordering a Hendricks…a Mojito…a Sangria and then, I woke up this morning...in your apartment."

Donna glanced watchfully towards the couch. When she spotted the pillow, she heaved a long sigh. "You had to sleep out here?"

With a swift brush of his hand, Harvey waved away the unnecessary concern. "Is that all you remember? Everything up until the bar…and then, here. This morning."

She nodded, making eye contact with him once more. His slivers of doubt from before were completely dismissed after witnessing Donna's unerring stance. She genuinely couldn't recall anything that happened after she drank herself to _Armageddon -_ not even her near confession. And Harvey knew her well enough to see that she wasn't lying.

He tilted his head, considering how she would react if he confronted her with the truth. No, she'd never admit to it. Or in the off chance that she did, Donna would make him swear to not do anything about it. In the end, he decided not to push his luck. _Not yet, anyway._ He was still dwelling on how much to say when suddenly, Donna surprised him by hiding her face in her hands.

"Oh my God, Harvey! I drunk-dialed you, didn't I?"

His bewilderment faded as Harvey snickered at her self-imposed mortification. "Worse things could have happened."

Through opened fingers, she peeked one eye at him. "Like what?"

"Like…you could have butt-dialed me. I am told that butt-dialing ranks the lowest in the _Misdialing Hierarchy_. Drunk-dialing is one spot above it."

"Harvey…please just tell me what happened?!" Donna was almost whining now. She never whined. Harvey bit the insides of his cheek to suppress the laughter bubbling inside him, determined to drag this teasing on a little longer.

"Yes, Donna. You drunk-dialed me from the bar. I went to get you. And…"

"And…?" Donna asked with bated breath.

Harvey paused for a build up, a dramatic effect. "And when you saw me, you called me...' _Harby_."

"Arggggghhhh!" This time, Donna touched her forehead to the countertop. Brewing in embarrassment, she murmured, "Please tell me this is all a bad dream. A _really, really_ bad dream."

Harvey spoke over her remarks. "I'm curious. Is that like a secret name you call me with your girlfriends? Don't get me wrong. I'm flattered that I have my own pet name. Honestly, I would have preferred something more masculine, but I guess you were going for _cute_ with 'Harby', weren't you? So, Donna...do you think I'm _cute_?"

Still facing down, she gritted out in a soft growl, "Ugh. I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I?"

He leaned in closer to whisper beside her ear. "You also did a little musical number for the cab driver and me...Ariel."

She abruptly sat up in shock, her spine ramrod straight. "I freakin' sang _The Little Mermaid_? "

At her half-shocked, half-pained expression, Harvey burst out laughing.

"This is so humiliating…," she whimpered, a new shade of pink colored her cheeks. Donna hopped off the stool. "I'm sorry you had to come get me. If I did anything offensive or embarrassing...," she trailed off. Her eyes narrowed when she continued, "...don't you dare tell other people or I'll make you pay for it..."

Trust the woman to be all apologetic one second and threatening the next.

"I give up sleep to save my drunk friend from a bar, and she shows me _such_ gratitude," Harvey sighed as he looked skyward with exaggerated hurt. "Anything else I can do for you, Donna? Perhaps offer my back to your knife?"

She thinned her lips. "Actually, there is. Jokes aside, my hair is a mess, and I've still got yesterday's make up on. I am not going to the office looking like this. It's not Halloween _._ "

"We can stop by your place on our way. I'll wait."

"Thank you." Her words hung heavily in the air until the silence became unbearably awkward. She blushed once more. "Harvey! It's not nice to stare."

He wasn't staring. He was just looking at her more raptly than usual. Harvey couldn't help himself, not when he knew that his feelings could possibly be reciprocated.

Donna waved a hand across his unmoving form. "Time to go to work, Harvey!" With that, she started for the front door.

"Hold on," Harvey said as he trailed after and schooled his features into utmost gravity.

When she turned around and caught his dark expression, Donna stepped forward with genuine worry. "Is something wrong? Harvey...?"

"It's just…don't you mean _Harby_?"

Donna threw her head back in exasperation. "You are such an ass!"

Harvey happily owned up to being an _ass_. "Wait up, Donna. I really do love that name!"

* * *

It was close to noon. Outside Harvey's office, Louis was questioning Donna about the blind date. Harvey hadn't intended to pry, but the door was opened, and their voices were voluntarily traveling into his room. Technically, he wasn't eavesdropping. He was just listening, something his well-functioning ears could hardly stop themselves from doing.

"What the hell, Donna? I set you up with a Greek God! An Adonis! And he tells my friend that you two didn't click? You go out with a dude like that, you click! He's a _clicky_ _dude_!"

Donna held a hand up in protest. "Louis, shhh…can we not talk in exclamation marks? Please also do humanity a favor and forever refrain from saying ' _dude'_ or ' _clicky'._ It sounds very wrong coming from you." She pressed her palm against her temple. "Ugh, remind me never to drink so much again."

"I sent you on a date. Not a drinking fest. What happened to you?"

"I tried out a new bar and got carried away."

"How romantic! You mean you got carried away with Alistair?" Louis exclaimed, in spite of Donna's request to _zen-ify_ their conversation volume. He tapped a finger against his lips. "I wish my parents gave me an interesting name like Alistair. A-LIS-tair. Alis-TAIR…"

Harvey silently applauded Louis's parents for being such wise human beings. Louis could never pull off the name _Alistair_. He was more just... _Stair_.

"No, not with Alistair. I got carried away with a different _Al_. The _Al-_ cohol menu." A heartbeat later, Donna added, "Thank you for all the trouble you went through, Louis. Al is a great guy, but...I want to quit dating for awhile.

"What do you mean by ' _quit dating'_? As in, none at all? Not even with _super-attractive-Eli_ in Cyber Law?"

Harvey dropped his pen. _Did they have a Cyber Law department?_ _Oh right._ It was a recently created function under Jessica's supervision.

"Not even with _super-attractive-Eli_. As gorgeous as he looks, Eli works here. You know I don't date men from our office," Donna confirmed.

 _"Crappity-crap!_ This is more critical than I'd imagined. Why are you not even entertaining the idea of dating hunky Eli anymore?"

At his desk, Harvey cursed inwardly. Yesterday, he had to put up with _Fashionable Spawn of Bond_. Today, it was S _uper Attractive Gorgeous Hunky Cyber Law Boy._ How was it even humanly possible to have that many superlatives attached to one person's name?

Outside, Louis pressed on. "But I thought you were looking for 'the one'."

"I...have a lot going on now," Donna explained half-heartedly. "Give me some time to get myself together?"

"Alright. But if you change your mind, let me know. I want you to have what Kate and I have," Louis said, his tone overflowing with happily-ever-after.

Donna raised a brow and muttered, "A two-week-old relationship?"

Harvey saw her flinching as she rubbed her forehead and took it as his cue to get rid of Louis. He picked up a folder and by the time he made it to Donna's workspace, Louis was performing a little skit. Stopping a few feet away, Harvey stood to the side and watched the hopeless romantic's recital.

"Time is of no significance when one finds his soul mate. She is the queen of my heart and I'm-"

"-going to throw up," Harvey finished impatiently for Louis. With a hint of tease, he asserted, "Louis, stop harassing Donna with your theatrics. Some of us have a law firm to run." Harvey feigned an exaggerated shocked expression. "Holy hell! Is that your name I see on the wall? Yes, Mr. Litt. I believe 'some of us' includes you too."

Harvey handed the folder to Donna and headed for his own desk.

"And some of us are just bitter about their lack of love life," Louis retorted before turning to Donna. "Anyway, we'll catch up later when _Grumpy_ _Specter_ isn't here."

Harvey shouted, "I heard that!"

Louis poked his head inside Harvey's office. "I'm off to fight justice with my legal brilliance, _Grumpy_."

Harvey chuckled. "Louis, if you're going to _dwarf_ me today, do it right. Apparently, I'm _Happy_ _."_ It sounded perilously close to _Harby_. "What do you think, Donna?"

She glared at him wide-eyed, undoubtedly on to his underlying meaning. "I don't know, Harvey. I forget. What's the name of the dwarf who can't talk?" In _Da Paulsen Code,_ it translated into 'Don't you dare share my embarrassing drunk stories'.

Harvey merely responded to her unspoken threat with a grand smile.

"Oh my, look at that, Donna. He's still smiling like a fool. Today, Harvey's definitely _Dopey_ ," Louis quipped. The man hurriedly made his escape, leaving no chance for a comeback.

Once alone, Harvey reinterpreted the words in his favor. "Louis means 'Dope'. As in, I'm the embodiment of _cool_ _overload."_

"Right." Donna pursed her lips. "I'm pretty sure he meant _Dopey_. Period."

Harvey scratched his chin and sighed, "You're always bruising my poor ego. Why do I even keep you around?"

"Because your world wouldn't function without me, Harvey. I'm your _work wife_ ," Donna explained matter-of-factly.

His mouth went dry. In that line of logic, he was her _work husband_. It wasn't an epiphanic concept given how they worked so seamlessly together. But Donna spelling it out had thrown him off guard. Paralyzed temporarily, he could only blink. Single cell amoebas would have accomplished more than him in that moment.

Across him, Donna misunderstood his dumbstruck reaction.

"Seems like _Dopey_ needs coffee." A pause later, she frowned. "Because of me, you didn't catch much sleep last night. I'll be right back with your fix."

Harvey was troubled to see her unnecessary guilt. To lighten up the mood, he jested, "If I'm _Dopey_ , it only makes you _Mrs. Dopey_ , _Work Wife_."

She rolled her eyes, the corners of her mouth involuntarily curling up. His attempt to cheer her up had worked. She playfully stuck her tongue out at him before leaving Harvey to his thoughts.

 _'I want to quit dating for awhile._ _Not even with super-attractive-Eli in Cyber Law.'_

Harvey's mind was simultaneously occupied with three things. One – there was an Eli in Cyber Law. Two – Donna had just sworn off dating. Three – Donna was still banning co-workers from her dating universe. Harvey didn't believe he would be an exception. He never was, so why would she start now?

It also confirmed his earlier suspicions. If he'd been forthright and asked Donna out, she never would have agreed. This meant that Harvey would have to woo Donna without her knowing. He would have to court Donna without formally courting her.

All this back-and-forth wordplay was not helping. He shook his head to attain some clarity.

He needed a new approach. A unique one where he would not date Donna. He would only _almost_ date her. As harebrained as it sounded, he didn't have much of a choice, did he? It didn't matter. He wasn't going to give up so easily. Not this time.

But first things first, Harvey had a curiosity to sate.

 _Who the hell is Eli?_

* * *

 **A/N (aka. Author's Nonsense): To answer** **multipazz and curious readers - Yes! Al is now available for dates. So is** **super-attractive-Eli in Cyber Law. For more information, please search for their profiles on the imaginary-men-Harvey-finds-threatening website. I recommend Alistair. He's got kind eyes, an easy smile, and is off-the-charts charming. *nods nods***

 **Got time for one more chapter? Up next, our _Puppy_ strikes again!**


	5. Homeless Cheese

**5 - HOMELESS CHEESE**

* * *

 **A/N:** Two chapters [4 and 5] posted today. This takes place _one week_ after Chapter 4, so be sure to read that first. _Or not, Brave Reader._ We can also embrace the philosophy of _'there's beauty in being lost'._

* * *

Harvey stepped into his office to find Mike spreading newspaper sheets across the floor. _Harvey's floor._

"Mike, just because we call you _Puppy_ , it doesn't mean you're allowed to pee on newspapers. Actually, I take that back. How about you do it in Louis's office? I'll even give you a raise for it."

The junior partner didn't flinch. He was so fully immersed in the task at hand that he hadn't even noticed he was no longer alone.

Harvey silently observed Mike's odd behavior from his desk, classifying it as another asylum-worthy moment. Everyone at the firm had a defining eccentricity. As much as Harvey hated to admit, even he had one too. His 'defining eccentricity' - _by popular vote -_ was his hair. For some reason, people couldn't get over it. He once overheard associates described it as _boyband hair_. Harvey didn't have _boyband_ hair. He just had _well-groomed_ _hair -_ a notion obviously too cultured for dippy young folks to grasp these days.

"Hellooooo...Earth to Mike," Harvey prompted once more.

This time, Mike looked up. "Huh? Oh, it'll just be for a few minutes, and I'll be out of your _hair_."

 _Et tu, brute?_ There it was again. Another hair joke. _Damn it, is having neat hair a crime?_

The kid spread more sheets across the floor, the sound of crisp paper crackled loud inside the office.

Harvey rolled his eyes. "Can't you find somewhere else to be ' _ridiculous_ '? I can't concentrate when you're doing that…here."

"I've scheduled in ' _be ridiculous somewhere else'_ for four. Right now, I have to find a new apartment. I'm borrowing your office because it's more spacious."

Mike dropped to his knees, bit off the marker cap, and circled a few spots before clambering over to the next sheet. It was only then that Harvey realized Mike was sifting through the classified section.

"Everything okay? I thought you and Rachel are good."

"Oh, we are. This is for Donna. She asked Rachel to help. But Rachel's really swamped with school right now, so I volunteered instead."

That got Harvey's full attention. "Why is Donna finding a new place?"

Mike explained, "Her landlord is taking the apartment back. Something about a personal emergency. Unfortunately, there's a loophole in her lease contract that allows him to do that. If Donna doesn't move out in five days, she can be legally evicted. I checked all the papers. There's no way out of this one."

Harvey didn't question Mike's legal judgment. All the same, there was no way Donna would find a place in such a short notice.

An idea emerged. Harvey saw this as an opportunity to spend more time with Donna. Besides, as a friend, he would have offered her his apartment anyway. She needed help. That was what mattered now.

"Mike. Where's Donna?"

"The coffeehouse down the street. I finished work earlier than planned so I decided to start without her. We don't have much time."

Harvey didn't miss the fact that Mike had said 'we' instead of 'she', inwardly grateful for the loyalty.

"Park it. I'm off to see Donna. She can move into my place for now. We'll figure out her new living arrangements later. This way, we don't need to rush," Harvey said as he started for the door.

"That's a good idea. These places don't look very promising. There's even an ad looking for a roommate who worships Lucifer. Brrr." Mike shuddered. "What would you put in the ad for your place?"

Harvey stopped to glower at Mike's red sneakers. "I guess 'No red sneakers allowed'. It just doesn't go with my classy interior."

Harvey marched out, leaving the junior partner to his own protest. "I'll have you know that these are limited editions, and they cost a lot online! But I wouldn't expect Grandpa to understand!"

Without turning around, Harvey held up three fingers - the middle one included, free of charge. "Read between the lines!"

Donna needed a new place, and Harvey was going to convince her to take his guest room - actually, his to-be guest room. Because if she agreed to his proposal, he'd have mere days to turn his current storeroom into one. With that goal in mind, Harvey couldn't care less about limited edition sneakers.

* * *

"…one Iced Soy Latte, one Hot Vanilla Latte and one Hot Americano please…"

Donna was in the middle of ordering drinks when Harvey stepped inside the coffeehouse. She visibly startled as he moved past her and paid the barista.

"This one's on me," Harvey said to Donna.

She eyed him warily. "How did you know I was here?"

Harvey shrugged as he collected the change. "Psychic powers."

"Mike," Donna murmured. As they moved down the line to wait for their drinks, she explained, "The soy latte's for Mike, and the Americano is for you. But remember...no more caffeine after that. I'm not putting my eyes through your chicken scrawls."

"It's not chicken scrawl. It's legit handwriting. Some might even consider it art."

"The Art of Torturing the Reader?" Donna countered.

" _Touché."_

The barista was about to hand them their orders when Harvey heard himself blurt out, "Donna, move in with me."

Donna dropped her clutch and froze.

That obviously didn't come out as planned. He was so damnably horrid at this kind of thing. He picked up the clutch and held it out for her, but Donna made no move to take it. She simply stood there, staring at him as if he'd suddenly sprouted horns.

"Donna, I-"

Next to them, the barista's gasp interrupted his train of thoughts. "Awww, that's so sweet. I knew it! You guys are a _thing_ …"

The words were enough to break through the shock. Donna faced the barista and tried to clear the misunderstanding. "No, no. You have it all wrong. We're not a _thing_. Tell him, Harvey. Tell him that 'we're not a _thing_ '."

Harvey strangely found himself feeling more intrigued than annoyed at the turn of events. He smiled and repeated, "We. Are. Not. A. _Thing_." Spoken in a very flat tone, it could easily be understood as _'We totally (but hush, hush...secretly) are_ '.

The barista winked back at Harvey with a knowing grin, and Donna's patience dissipated. She said to the staff, "Hold on to the drinks. We'll be right back."

Donna guided Harvey to the corner of the shop for some privacy.

"Don—" Harvey stopped mid-word because Donna had suddenly rendered him speechless. She cupped his face with both hands, her eyes intently boring into his. She stood on her toes to level to his height. Slowly, she leaned forward, inching in so close that Harvey caught the scent of her perfume. _Sage. Wood. Donna._ His eyes lowered to her lips. He couldn't breath. He couldn't think. His heart pounded in his ears. Everything was moving too fast. Or too slow. He wasn't sure about anything anymore.

In an instant, Donna stunned him once more by turning his head sharply to the left. And then to the right. He let out a long breath. _So much for getting his hopes up._

"Easy, woman! What do you think you're doing?" Harvey protested against her rough handling. He covered her hands to still the assault and his abused neck thanked him profusely. "I may give out the impression that I'm immortal, but I assure you that my bones are very breakable."

"Oh, man up and stop whining. I'm checking for injuries. What's gotten into you? Did you hit your head on your way over?" She stepped back, forcing him to release her hands. "Really, Harvey? ' _Donna, move in with m_ e.'" She made an attempt to imitate his tone of voice.

"That was an awful impersonation of me. You made me sound like a blockhead," Harvey objected. "Mike told me that you're about to be evicted from your apartment. This is New York City, Donna. You won't find anything half decent in five days and probably end up with a Lucifer-worshipping roommate. We both know you can't stay at Mike and Rachel's. So unless you're interested in having Louis's 'Queen of his Heart' recitals for breakfast, yes, Donna. Move in with me. Move to my apartment. Of course, we can also have the firm book you a hotel room, but you're no stranger to my place. Why not come and stay with me for awhile?"

Donna seemed to realize the merits of his proposal. "But you don't even have a spare room."

"I do. I mean I will have one ready for you," Harvey said. "I promise."

"I…"

"Say yes, Donna. It's the best solution, and you know it."

She eventually consented. _Yes! Mental fist pump._ She was about to say something else when Harvey beat her to it. He could already guess what was bothering her.

"Fine, fine. Ever the righteous Ms. Paulsen. I'll take care of it right away."

They went back to pick up their drinks. At the counter, Harvey clarified matters with the barista. "Look. I was just joking earlier. We really are not a _thing_." _Yet -_ Harvey kept the last word to himself. He turned back to Donna. "Satisfied?"

Donna answered with a head tilt and started for the exit. Harvey was about to follow when he spotted the barista handing a fifty back to his friend.

"Man! I was so sure they were together," the barista said. _Hell, is there also a betting pool outside the firm?_

Harvey quickly pushed Donna out of the store to avoid further complications. She'd agreed to move in. There was no need for more drama.

On their way back to the office, Donna asked, "What was that you said about Lucifer?"

"Mike mentioned a newspaper ad looking for a roommate who worships Lucifer. Weird, right?"

"Hmmm. Do you think the Lucifer-worshipping tenant would be good-looking? After all, the devil is reputed to be very handsome himself."

She was in a good mood. Two could play at the game.

Harvey shrugged. "No idea. But what I do know is your new roommate is absolutely hot." He pointed to himself and gave her an off-the-magazine male model brooding scowl. The kind where Harvey was never sure if the guy was lost or had an upset stomach. "How's that for _hot_?"

She shook her head in disbelief, a smile broadening on her face.

"Drink your coffee, Harvey. And try not to _burn_ yourself with all the _hotness_."

* * *

 _Knock, knock, knock._

It was almost half a minute later before Donna opened the door to her apartment.

"Hey, Harvey." She stepped aside to let him in.

"Need any help?"

"I'm almost done packing. There's only a few of my everyday essentials left – toiletries, PJs…you get the idea."

He looked around to find boxes everywhere. True to her words, there was little left to do. "Someone's been busy."

"The moving company is coming by to pick these up tomorrow. I'm storing them at a warehouse until I find a more permanent place."

She came to stand in front of him, and Harvey found himself impossibly distracted by what she was wearing. Her T-shirt was a plain black one. There was nothing strange about it. But her blue pants were... _striking_. They had bright yellow cheese patterns all over it. _Christ, are those googly eyes on them?!_

Donna's voice pulled his focus back to their conversation. "Are you sure I can stay at your place? If it's inconvenient…"

"Donna, I have a guest room that cries itself to sleep every night. It suffers from abandonment issues because I've ignored it for years. So, be kind. Please give my sad little room a meaningful life purpose."

She nodded. "You really saved my day. Come to think of it, I don't usually do roommates. Never liked them much."

"Ah…but you've never had Harvey Specter as your roommate. It makes all the difference."

"And Harvey Specter is such a great roommate because…" Donna began and waited for him to finish the sentence.

"…because he's _Harvey_." He grimaced with feigned annoyance. "I thought that was reason enough."

"Ooh...I'm so touched that the _Honorable Harvey_ has invited me to breathe the same air and walk the same floors as him," Donna said wryly.

"Not only that, _Commoner_. You also get to share a fridge with him."

"This is all too much. You can't see, but I'm crying tears of joy inside," Donna muttered with a deadpan face. In a more pleasant tone, she added, "It'll only be for awhile."

"Stay as long as you need." His face was impassive, but inside, his heart was throwing a euphoric rave party at the prospect of Donna moving in. _With glow sticks and all._

She moved across the room to tape the open boxes. He followed, folding up his sleeves to help. When Harvey knelt down beside her, she asked, "Is there something I'm not supposed to bring? You know how some people have things they don't allow inside their homes? What's yours?"

Harvey wondered if he had anything of the sort. He was joking with Mike earlier about banning sneakers. And it wasn't like Donna would be bringing snakes with her.

Next to him, she waited earnestly for an answer. "So?"

Harvey responded with the same level of solemnity. "Hmmm. Actually...I do see a very questionable item."

"Oh, what is it?" She searched around with such alarm that Harvey had to give up his pretense. He chuckled and pointed to her pants.

"What the hell are you wearing, Donna? Are those cheese blocks? With eyes?"

She looked down at her pants with confusion. Then, it was her turn to laugh. "For God's sake, Harvey. I can't believe the best closer in the city doesn't know what this is! It's not cheese. It's SpongeBob SquarePants!"

"Sponge-what-pants?" His stupefied expression only spurred her laughter on. She hugged herself and rolled over in stitches. It was so infectious that Harvey couldn't help but join in. He absolutely had no idea what they were laughing about. And truly, he didn't care.

Yes, his decision to _adopt_ Donna and her _sponge-what-weird-pants_ was definitely going to bring them both plenty of amusement. He'd make her see that life with him wasn't so bad. He would show her what it means to be together. That they were worth breaking the rule for.

"So, am I allowed to bring these _cheese_ _pants_ to your place?" Donna asked teasingly.

"Can't leave them homeless, can we?"

* * *

 **A/N (aka. Author's Nonsense):** **Are you interested in becoming Harvey's roommate? Before moving in, please read his requirements: #1 Must be Donna. #2 See Number 1. #3 Bring Cheese Pants.**

 **How do you imagine they would fare as roommates? The next chapter is titled "The Bull and the Matadora". Ahem, my story is rated T, so don't let your ideas wander too far!** **Thank you for reading and reviewing. I know I sound like broken record, but among the different species of broken records, I'm the grateful kind. *shy smile**

* * *

 **The Unfortunate SBSP Incident:** I meant no offense to SpongeBob. The story was inspired by a personal embarrassment of mine. The first time I watched the cartoon with my nephew, I stupidly asked him, "Why is a piece of cheese living under the sea?" He thought that I was visiting from Mars and explained, "That's not a piece of cheese. They never wear pants. That's why he's obviously SpongeBob Squarepants!" _Obviously._ Still love you, kiddo!


	6. The Bull and the Matadora - Part 1

**6 - THE BULL AND THE MATADORA: Part I**

* * *

 **A/N:** The Bull and the Matadora is split into two parts (two chapters). Here's Part I.

* * *

Donna was moving in today, and Harvey couldn't wait to see what havoc they could wreak together. What did she do off work hours? Did she sing in the shower? Would they share breakfast every morning? Were there more bizarre surprises other than the cheese pants? What should they do this weekend?

If the high pile of files sitting on his desk could talk, they'd order him to 'Get Back to Work'. For the better half the morning, all Harvey could do was daydream about his new roommate. Seriously, how badly could a grown man be smitten?

Out of habit, he looked towards Donna's workspace only to remember he'd given her the day off to settle in. Still ignoring his 'lawyerly'responsibilities, he called his red-headed distraction.

"Hi Harvey," Donna greeted on the line.

"How's it going?"

"I'm still unpacking. Remind me never to buy shoes again! You've carved out such a generous space for me, and I still can't fit them all in."

Harvey swiveled towards the windows, hiding his goofy grin from _living things_ walking by. "As if it would make a difference. Besides, I'm not dumb enough to tell any woman _not_ to buy shoes. I don't have a death wish."

"Wise, wise man. By the way, the room looks amazing! It's practically a clone of my old one! I can't believe you did all this in _days_. Thank you, Harvey."

He'd commissioned an interior designer to renovate the room in record time. _No, not commissioned._ He'd rained the guy with a generous amount of investment, insisting that his storeroom be turned into a Scandinavian-styled bedroom within seventy-two hours. He'd tried his best to mimic Donna's original space, hoping it could offer her a sense of familiarity. He wanted her to feel at home.

"It's yours. Do whatever you want with it. I also have Ray on standby at the lobby. If you need to buy anything, he'll take you."

"A beautiful room and a personal driver? If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to charm me."

 _If only she did know better_. He picked his next words carefully, sticking to a neutral response. "Told you. Having me as a roommate has its perks."

"Yes, we've already established that _Commoner Donna_ will be eternally grateful," she remarked flatly. "Are you coming back for dinner? I'm making pasta so we can have a mini-welcome-me."

"Wait a minute. I offer you a room and a warm bed, and _you_ _…_ want... _me..._ to celebrate...welcoming _you_. What kind of logic is that?"

" _Donna logic._ Having me as a roommate also has its perks. Once you've had me, you'll never want to let me go," she defended confidently.

' _Once you've had me, you'll never want to let me go.'_ Harvey swallowed hard. Her words had struck too close to the truth, robbing him momentarily of speech.

"Harvey? Hello? You still there?"

He cleared his throat. Scratching his brow, he croaked, "Yes. Dinner. There. Eight?" Harvey cringed at his inarticulate delivery. Even a three-year-old could have done better. If Donna had noticed his stammering, she was kind enough not to mention it.

"Eight, it is. And while I'm not there, don't go looking for trouble!"

"When have I ever done that," Harvey objected. Donna's response was a deafening silence. He eventually caved. "It's not my fault that trouble loves to find me!"

* * *

 **STAGE 1 - TERCIO DE VARAS**

Seeing how he'd squandered the morning away, Harvey decided to grab a quick bite from the bagel stand and get back to work. He only managed two steps before _trouble_ in a black suit came looking for him. _Fantastic._ He'd successfully jinxed himself.

Louis _(a.k.a. said trouble)_ was sweating profusely in the middle of the office. His expression was so mournful that Harvey couldn't shake off a bad feeling. Jessica was on a long vacation in Europe too. It meant that Harvey would have the honor of " _embracing this rare opportunity for personal growth"-_ which was human resource jargon for _'You're responsible for cleaning the shit up.'_

"If you're here with a crisis, I'm not interested. My schedule is full," Harvey said, hoping for once that Louis would just miraculously disappear. His prayers went unanswered. For long moments, Louis simply stood there like an overwrought statue. Something shitty _had_ happened. "For God's sake, Louis, who have you killed now?"

Harvey had intended to provoke a snappy comeback. He could deal with a furious or a sharp-tongued Louis; he didn't know what to do with this quiet version. For a man who lived for talking, Louis's _not-talking_ was impossibly unnerving.

Stepping around the table, Harvey studied his friend more closely. Louis's complexion was sickly pale, his lips quivering. Harvey leaned forward in steady encouragement. "Louis, what is it? Say something. Anything."

"I...I need your help, but I don't have much time to explain. They're coming to get me, and I need you to fight my case. I trust only you, Harvey," Louis mumbled as his eyes shivered shut. It was all very confusing - this paranoia.

 _Is the man high on something?_

"I don't understand. Who's coming to get you? And what case are you talking about?"

"The Shannon Case. They're charging me for racketeering…"

Out of nowhere, Anita Gibbs and two officers marched into Harvey's office. Louis physically recoiled and as he stumbled backwards, Harvey protectively placed himself between the woman and Louis. He had no idea what was going on, but there was no chance he was giving the federal prosecutor the upper hand. Even if it meant using himself as a human shield.

She gave Harvey a cutting look from head to toe and sneered, "Why is it that we're always meeting under such dire circumstances?"

Harvey raised his chin and glared at her. Keeping his tone bored with an edge of bite, he answered, "How would I know? I've been told that I'm quite a sunny inspiration. Blue skies and rainbows everywhere I go. Maybe I'm not the one bringing the ' _dire-ness_ ' to our meetings." He steeled himself more firmly, unwilling to let her see how rattled he was. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sure your co-managing partner has explained." Gibbs shoved an arrest warrant into Harvey's hands and signaled for the officers to take Louis away.

Harvey quickly scanned the warrant. It was legitimate. There was nothing he could do to stop them from arresting Louis. When he spotted the cuffs, Harvey shot a hand out to shield Louis from the officers. Bantering with Louis was a harmless past time - it was how they built their rapport. But letting him walk out of here looking so undignified was too insulting.

"Gibbs, leave the cuffs. Louis will go willingly," Harvey put forth. Louis nodded eagerly in consent.

"Fine. So, you'll be his attorney, then?" Gibbs asked, a triumphant smirk plastered on her face.

What Harvey really wanted to say was _'Go to hell'_. But even that would be unfair and cruel to the poor civilians of hell. Seeing how Louis would be in her mercy for awhile, Harvey kept the bitter thoughts to himself. "Yes. I'll be representing Louis."

"We're bringing Mr. Litt down for questioning. You can join us or use this precious time to prep for the hearing. It will be in four days."

 _Only four freakin' days?_

Louis read Harvey's concern and decided matters for them. "Harvey, stay and prep for the hearing. I swear I'm innocent. I won't give them anything useful. I know how it works."

Harvey nodded. They couldn't detain Louis for long without proof. "Let me arrange a few things. I'll go get you soon."

"Oh, did I forget to mention? My bad. That won't be happening," Gibbs spat out. "We have enough proof to hold Mr. Litt behind bars at the detention center. No bails. If you want to talk to him, you'll have to visit him there."

Louis's eyes widened in sheer panic, pleading for Harvey's help. Before Harvey could react, Gibbs gestured for the officers to escort Louis away.

"Good luck, Harvey." With that, she left.

Harvey had no recollection of what the case was about. Yet, he had mere days to get Louis out of this disaster. Taking a deep breath to quell his terrifying doubts, he dialed the junior partner's number.

"Pick up. Pick up," Harvey muttered impatiently. As soon as Mike answered, he bellowed, "Get me everything we have on the Shannon case. Now!"

* * *

'Everything we have on the Shannon case' turned out to be more than fifty boxes of mind-numbing documents. Mike went through the files while he paid Louis a visit. After two hours of strenuous questioning, Harvey got what he needed and rejoined Mike at his office.

By 2 A.M., they still couldn't find anything that worked in Louis's favor. Mike was sitting idly by the window, staring blankly into the night. Harvey was cradling his head in his hands, wishing for an epiphany of sorts. _Productivity, level zero._

"We can't just keep sitting here," Harvey sighed as he began to pack his briefcase. "It's not doing us any good."

"Speak for yourself, Harvey. Don't underestimate my ability to just _sit and stare_." Mike followed his words with a yawn, betraying how tired he truly was.

"Go home, Mike. Don't keep Rachel waiting."

At the mention of Rachel, Mike walked over to Harvey. "Hey, isn't Donna moving into your place today?"

 _Her 'mini-celebrate-me' dinner..._

"Shit! I completely forgot about dinner with Donna." Harvey pulled out his phone to find several missed calls from her. _Too late to call back._

"You might want to brace yourself for _Hangry_ Donna," Mike warned as they headed for the elevator.

" _Hangry_?"

"Hungry and angry. It's a terrifying combination on most women. On Donna, it's _deadly_ ," Mike explained with an empathetic smile.

"Well, then. I guess I'll have to ask _Hangry_ Donna to hold off plans to kill me. I can't die for another few days. I have to save Louis's ass first."

"Ah, that's the best excuse ever!"

* * *

Harvey carefully opened the door to his apartment. The lights were dimly lit, the place quiet and still. He toed off his shoes, not wanting to wake Donna up with footsteps. As he tugged off his tie, Donna's voice drifted softly from afar.

"Everything alright?"

He turned to see her walking up to him. She was already in her sleepwear – a white T-shirt and one of her signature colorful pants. Her hair was tied back in a messy ponytail. Without make-up and expensive dresses, Donna in PJs suddenly became Harvey's new favorite look on her.

"I'm sorry for missing dinner. And for waking you."

She dismissed his apology with a wave. "Rachel said both you and Mike had to work on an emergency case. Have you eaten anything?"

It was almost 3 A.M. Food was the last thing on Harvey's mind, but he never got that bagel for lunch. In fact, he'd not eaten all day. As if knowing its cue, his stomach rumbled so embarrassingly loud that even Donna heard it.

"I guess that's a 'no'. I kept food for you. Let me warm it up." She frowned with concern before leading him to the kitchen.

Harvey sat on the barstool and watched Donna work around the counter. This was definitely not how he'd envisioned their first day together as roommates. Missing dinner. Waking her up in the middle of the night. And now, he had to trouble her with this.

"We'll celebrate another day. I'll make it up to you."

"Don't be silly, Harvey. There's nothing to make up for." She laid the plates out for him. "Bon Appétit, Monsieur Specter."

"Merci, Mademoiselle Paulsen." Harvey took a bite and savored the taste of home cooked food. "This is wonderful. I mean, it's not as good as my burnt toast, but…wow!"

Donna beamed and urged him to eat more. Harvey tried but could only finish half of it. His appetite was close to non-existent. On his way home, he'd thought about sparing Donna the stress. But she was close to Louis. She'd want to know.

"Donna. The emergency case…it's Louis's. He's being charged for racketeering conspiracy. They're saying he helped the client steal from the pension funds. I have four…no, three days until his hearing. Louis is now at the detention center with a no bail clause," Harvey explained. "We still don't have a good angle…if I fail, Louis could spend a long time in prison." _Decades, really._

Donna worried her lips anxiously, puzzling out the details. "What do we do now? How can I help?"

"Now, _we_ are not going to do anything, because _you_ are going back to bed." Before she could protest, he added, "I'll need you to re-arrange my schedule for the next few days. And get me Louis's. I'll visit his clients to make sure they aren't ruffled by this incident. I also need public relations to lead on damage control."

"Consider it done. And you, Harvey? Aren't you going to bed? You need to rest, too."

"In a bit," Harvey lied. He wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon. Donna saw through his lie and narrowed her eyes. The truth was, he wouldn't be able to concentrate on the case if he had to fret over Donna too. He quirked his lips and tried another way. "Go. To. Bed. Donna. Panda eyes won't look fashionable on you. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"And they look good on you?"

" _Anything_ looks great on me. Besides, dark circles will only add to my mysterious charisma. Makes me more irresistible," Harvey joked.

"You really know what women want," Donna countered as she cleared the plates. Before leaving, she said more seriously, "Harvey, thank you for doing this…for Louis."

Harvey attempted once more to lighten the mood. "Woman! Unless you intend to go trick-or-treating as a Red Panda this year, I suggest you get your beauty sleep now!"

She chuckled lightly at the absurd remark. "Night, Harvey."

Harvey offered her a half-smile, and Donna nodded, understanding that he needed time alone to sort everything out. He would get their friend out of this mess, no matter the cost.

"Sleep tight, Donna."

* * *

 **A/N (aka. Author's Nonsense): In** **case you're wondering, bullfighting has three stages.** **Part II will include the rest. I'm working on it and will upload the next chapter soon.** **As always, thank you so much for reading and reviewing. (*Red Panda bows) Really appreciate it!**

* * *

 ***Law Matters:** I have a very qualified law degree from Google Search. Jokes aside, to all law experts, I sincerely apologize for the inaccuracies.


	7. The Bull and the Matadora - Part 2

**7 - THE BULL AND THE MATADORA: Part II**

* * *

 **A/N:** [Harvey's Voice] "Previously on..." (Oh, this isn't TV) Thank you for all the kind reviews. As promised, here's Part II.

* * *

 **STAGE 2 - TERCIO DE BANDERILLAS**

The next day, Harvey dropped Donna off at the firm before heading out to see Louis's clients. Mike focused on the case while Rachel and Donna worked with external relations to contain the issue. Harvey returned in the evening to find the junior partner beyond distraught. _No angle. No proof._ Harvey suggested that Mike took Rachel out for dinner, inferring that some distance could inspire a new perspective. As soon as the young couple left, he gathered the files and took Donna home. She fixed them a light meal to make sure his _espresso-powered_ body had something solid too. But with his mind doggedly fixated on the case, Harvey ended up pushing food around his plate.

"I know everything taste like cardboard now. But if you collapse, who's going to fund my new Birkin? _Eat, Harvey. Save-a-Donna_."

Donna's playful tone failed to mask her distress. He forced a smile and took a few more bites, a gesture to show he was still a loyal supporter of the _Save-a-Donna_ cause. By midnight, Harvey sent Donna away to get some rest. Thankfully, she didn't put up a fight. Once alone, Harvey continued to plow through the case files until morning came.

And like a time-loop horror movie, everything repeated itself again the following day.

* * *

Harvey woke up to the smell of coffee. He rubbed his eyes, squinting against the harsh light spilling into the apartment. A quick glance at his watch showed that he'd dozed off for an hour. He reprimanded himself for wasting precious time when there was less than a day till the hearing.

"Morning." Donna surprised Harvey from across the dining table. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, Donna. Don't worry about me."

His words fell between them, quiet and suffocating all at once. She'd heard what he did not say. _They should be worried about Louis_. Harvey had practically stretched himself to the brink, physically tired and emotionally drained. But Louis's future was at stake. There was simply no time to spare for exhaustion.

She pushed the mug towards him. "Long Black. Just as you like it."

"Thank you."

Harvey studied Donna over the rim of the mug. She looked weary, her shoulders drawn tight and rigid. For days, Louis's case had taken up most of their lives. Aside from sharing quick dinners and short rides to work and back, they'd barely spoken. Even now, the both of them were at lost with what to talk about. Sulking in silent depression, they sat there like two dejected coffee-drinking sloths - scientific name: _Sleepymuch Caffeinateus_.

The sunlight shimmered off something on Donna's wrist, catching Harvey's attention. _A bracelet._ He slowly reached out for it.

"What's this? Is this a cow?" Harvey asked, thumbing the silver ornament.

"It's a bull. And next to it, a Matador. Louis bought it for me when he went to Spain. He said the bullfight reminded him of us. Just so you know, _I'm not the bull_. I'm the Matador…no, the _Matadora_."

"So, that makes _me_ the _bull_?"

Donna tried to hide her smile at his less-than-amused pout. _Better that than her earlier tired expression,_ Harvey thought before his mind wandered further.

 _Donna the Matadora._ It was quite an appropriate analogy. She knew him better than anyone else - what he liked and hated, how to strike a nerve, how to push his buttons. Donna handled him so effectively that he didn't even find it bothersome anymore. She would also be the death of him, evident from how her drunk dialing almost ended his poor heart. Donna was undeniably the chink in his armor.

But, _Harvey the Bull?_ Even if he was momentarily deranged enough to pretend that he was one, this bullwould never hurt Donna. Sure, he was hot-headed and had tendencies to lash out unpredictably. But when it came down to it, he would never intentionally attack Donna. On second thought, maybe he'd consider the kind with passion and pleasure. Others easily wrote him off as wild and brutal; but for Donna, he'd always be _Ferdinand -_ the bull who preferred to smell flowers over fighting.

What was his demented brain going on about? _No flower smelling!_ He had to focus on Louis's case. _Louis!_ _That ungrateful thing, calling him a bull…._

"If Louis wasn't already having a shitty time…," Harvey broke off. _The email correspondences!_ He dashed over to the stack of folders he'd set aside. "Donna, when was Louis in Spain?"

She checked her phone calendar. "August 13th to September 22nd. Two years ago. Strange though. The firm's official log says he was supposed to go for only two weeks. Wait! He was stuck there…"

"…because of the airport strike."

Harvey flipped through the rest of the documents. There it was. _The alibi._ He could work with this to demonstrate Louis's lack of involvement. "I have it! Louis's alibi! He's going to be okay!"

Donna uncharacteristically shrieked with joy and ran towards Harvey. She hugged him so fiercely that it almost tumbled them both over. Harvey instinctively wrapped his arms around Donna's shoulders to catch her from falling. As soon as the initial shock wore off, they found themselves laughing without restraint - days worth of trepidation giving way to extreme relief.

When their laughters quieted, Harvey didn't let her go. After days of living with honest fear for Louis's future, the feel of Donna's soft body so close to his felt like a lifeline. A safe harbor. Her breath tickled his neck, her lips barely touching his skin. Without thought, Harvey tightened his embrace a fraction.

"Donna...," he whispered. She tensed at her name, and Harvey instantly regretted his actions. He'd taken it too far. Reluctantly drawing away, he tried to explain. "Donna...I..."

"You did it, Harvey," she interrupted, determined to pretend _the_ _moment_ had never happened. Seeing how taut Donna was, Harvey let matters slide.

"Actually, you did it." With an dark scowl, Harvey bit out, "…by calling me a bull!"

At Harvey's objection, Donna tried _very hard_ to suppress her urge to laugh. She succeeded for only three seconds before dissolving into uncontrollable fits. "Harvey the Bull. Who knew _that_ would guide us to the key? God, we really are quite a pair."

"Yes, we are," he agreed with a smile.

* * *

Harvey waited for a full twenty minutes before Louis plodded into the visiting room. The man was looking worse for wear in oversized clothes and days worth of beard. Harvey wore a serious expression, unwilling to give away a single clue. It was payback for the _bull thing._ And every _other_ thing.

"Where have you been?" Louis asked, slumping into the chair.

"Riding llamas in Peru. ' _Where'_ do you think?"

Louis was devoid of the child-like zest that usually irked Harvey to no ends. The man simply sat there, looking utterly lifeless. There wasn't even a retort for the absurd llama comment. Harvey sighed and decided to put Louis out of his misery. Stretching the deception out would be like kicking an injured dog. Where was the fun in that?

"Louis, we have your alibi. _Spain vacation_."

Louis's frown transformed into an ecstatic grin in slow motion. Eyes glazed with tears, he suddenly jumped out of the chair and charged towards Harvey.

 _Shit! Incoming bear hug!_ Harvey hastily scooted his chair backwards, the abrupt motion almost throwing him onto the floor.

"For God's sake, Louis! I swear if you cry or come any closer, I'll burn all the evidence, and you can live here forever!"

Louis froze, his arms hanging awkwardly in air. "Heaven forbid you have something as _human_ as feelings. I forgot that you're allergic to hugs."

"Only yours," Harvey muttered under his breath.

Once calmer, Louis tried again. "Thank you, Harvey."

"You can thank Donna. She pointed us to the right direction." _Bracelet_. _Spain_. _BULL. ME. Alibi._ In that exact order.

"I will. So, what happens now?"

"You're in the clear. I've settled the preliminary terms with Gibbs. We'll have to work out the details - immigration records, embassy endorsements…you know, the tedious administrative documents. Mike's on it as we speak. Your hearing has been canceled, but we'll need to meet Gibbs tomorrow to officially close the case."

Louis nodded. "Thanks again. I owe you one."

Harvey merely shrugged, as if he hadn't spent days almost killing himself for the case. "You ready to leave? I'm not a big fan of this shithole."

"It's not that bad. Rustic interior is in trend. They've got nice tilings too. You should give it a try. Definitely a memorable once in a lifetime experience," Louis offered, promoting this horrid place like it was the Louvre.

"No, thanks. I already have a perfect place to live in." He also had the perfect roommate, who he still owed a welcome dinner.

* * *

While Louis retrieved his personal belongings, Harvey hung around the entrance. It was half an hour later before Louis finally made an appearance.

"I didn't think you'd actually wait for me." Louis sounded genuinely surprised. And rightfully so, too because Harvey _had_ entertained the idea of ditching him.

"I bought you a welcome back gift." Harvey pulled a razor from his pocket. "Broth'r thee needeth a shave," he recited from memory. "In case that wasn't clear, I meant 'Dude, you need a shave'."

Louis responded with a quote from the Bard himself, "I can no other answer make, but, thanks, and thanks."

"If law doesn't work out, you should try your luck as a rapper. I see potential."

The image of Louis in a beanie hat, baggy pants, and oversized _blings_ would be quite a sight. Harvey grinned at the thought. _Louis_. _Shakespearean Hip-Hop._ _Unique._ But it would probably be unkind to human ears and the music community.

"You really think so?" Louis asked eagerly. He was undoubtedly picturing his album cover, and Harvey had an inkling that it would feature cats in 18th century breeches.

"No. _Not really._ But there's someone who _really_ wants to talk you," Harvey said as he dialed a number. "Donna, he's here." With that, he passed the phone to Louis and stepped away to let the two friends catch up. A few minutes later, Louis returned.

"Let's get out of here. Do you need a lift?" Harvey asked as he led them towards the car.

"Actually, I'm going to your apartment. With you."

Harvey halted mid-step, causing Louis to crash straight into his back. He turned around and glowered at Louis. "The hell you are! I just saved your ass from prison. Why are you _punishing_ me?"

"Donna's making dinner. She asked me to join," Louis elaborated with a straight face. Of course, Donna would invite Louis over. So much for his wish to spend _alone time_ with her.

"Under one condition, Louis. We'll stop by your place so you can get cleaned up. I don't want Donna to see this…this... _Hobo Zombie_ look. She's worried enough as it is."

* * *

 **STAGE 3 – TERCIO DE MUERTE**

The second they walked into Harvey's apartment, Louis and Donna entered their little world of chattering. The two of them talked so fast that Harvey swore it was half-English, half _-Squeakish_. After a few failed attempts, Harvey quit trying to make sense of it. His brain's last standing neuron held up a white flag, and he excused himself for a short nap before dinner.

Once inside his room, Harvey flopped down onto the bed. He didn't even change out of his suit. It was dead uncomfortable, but he had no mind left to care. Without adrenaline to fuel his veins, his body was finally suffering the delayed effects. The fatigue was overwhelming, his nerves shutting down one by one. It wasn't long until he drifted off into a deep slumber.

He dreamed of Donna intermittently. In flashes. In fragments.

She was calling his name. He felt her fingers in his hair, nails lightly grazing his scalp. And with it, she eased his tensions away. Something soft touched his forehead. It had to be her lips. Donna's comforting scent surrounded him and her hair caressed his cheeks. Still, he couldn't see her. Why couldn't he see her? She was whispering something in his ear. Her words were muffled, but it sounded a lot like _'Sweet dreams, Harvey'_.

And for the first time in a long while, he felt at peace. _Contented_. And he wondered if Donna could see that he was smiling.

* * *

 _Another dream._ He felt trapped, his clothes uncomfortably clinging to his skin. His throat was burning with a sharp pain, making it impossible to swallow. He could hear faint sounds coming from somewhere. A knock. More knocks. The pounding wasn't loud, but it hurt his head all the same. There was a distinct murmur, a soft voice calling out to him.

"Harvey?"

He felt a presence, as one would with the mist. Or a shadow. Gentle hands cupped his face. Donna's. His dreams always inevitably came back to her.

"Harvey, wake up." Even imaginary Donna sounded anxious. "Can you hear me, Harvey? Wake up..."

He tried to pry his eyes open, but they wouldn't listen. He tried again. And failed again.

Then, a realization dawned on him.

This wasn't a dream. Perhaps, the bull had really fallen.

* * *

"His fever's down. Sure, Mike. I'll keep you posted."

Donna's voice was the first thing Harvey heard. When his eyes focused, he found her sitting beside him. Harvey slowly propped himself up against the headboard.

Donna touched his forehead briefly. "What a relief! You're finally awake. How are you feeling?"

 _Like he'd been dragged through the Sahara. Twice._ Everything felt foreign, as if his body belonged to someone else.

"Never better," Harvey rasped. _How long had he napped for?_

"You've been fighting a mean fever for a day and half."

"What?"

"You slept through the dinner with Louis. Yesterday morning, I left for work without you. I thought maybe you could use more rest. But you never showed up at the office. It isn't like you to just disappear, so I came back to check on you. You were so out of it, I could barely wake you," Donna said. When she saw Harvey's blank expression she continued, "You don't remember anything?"

He shook his head. When Harvey vowed to get Louis out of the mess - no matter the cost - he hadn't thought he'd be gambling his health for it. Even so, it seemed such a small price to pay for Louis's freedom.

"And the case?" Harvey asked.

"Mike and Louis settled everything with Gibbs."

She stroke his hair back before dabbing his cheeks with a cold towel. Two more times and Harvey couldn't stand it anymore. He tried to snatch the towel from her, determined to do his own 'nursing'.

Donna swatted his hand away. "Harvey! The world won't crumble if you stop being _manly_ for five minutes." Harvey reluctantly dropped his arms and she continued, "When I agreed to move in, I didn't think I would be signing up for the Specter virus too."

 _Neither did he._

"Sorry," Harvey apologized, the sudden intake of breath triggering a string of coughs.

"Who are you, and what have you done to the Harvey I know? Why aren't you telling me how special this virus is?" Donna commented sarcastically. Between coughs, Harvey opened an eye to glare at her. "I'm kidding, Harvey. Relax!"

Then, she went on to _assault_ his _manliness_ with even more gentle care. Harvey was so used to being Donna's protector that their role-switch felt unsettling. As his mind sought for a distraction, he glanced down and realized something was off. _Everything_ , to be exact. Instead of a dress shirt, he was wearing a black T-shirt. His belt was also gone, and his slacks had been replaced with a pair of joggers.

Donna followed his line of sight and when their eyes locked again, she blushed. Her mouth worked, but no sound came out.

Harvey broke the silence for them. "Did you change me?"

He wasn't embarrassed at the idea of Donna changing him or seeing him naked. Donna, on the other hand, was visibly agitated. Odd that, when she'd been the one doing the _changing_ and _seeing_. An unspeakable charge filled the air, nearly pushing them off the _Cliff-of-So-Damn-Awkward._

Harvey dramatically pulled the blankets up to cover himself, pretending to feel offended. _Goodbye, last shred of masculinity._ Feigning devastation, he protested, "Seriously, have you no consideration for my _virtue_?"

Of all the things that Harvey could have said, this was probably the least expected. Donna's eyes rounded in confusion briefly before she laughed out loud. _Excellent_. Harvey awarded himself a tentative point for making her laugh again.

"Casanova. I'm sure plenty of women have seen you out of your suit," she justified. Donna forgot she'd once been one of them too. _The only one that ever mattered,_ Harvey thought.

Instead of digging up landmines, Harvey kept to safer grounds. Besides, he had to get Donna to leave him alone. Since she'd moved in, he hadn't done anything nice for her. Infecting her with sickness was hardly qualified as _nice_. Still playing the male equivalent of a damsel in distress, Harvey mourned, "I'm so traumatized. Please leave. I need to cry myself to sleep."

Donna shook her head at his ridiculous theatrics before countering, "What you _need_ is nutrition and Advil. I'll be back with your soup."

"Don't bother, Donna. Just let me sleep it off. You're not catching this." She ignored his demands. Before she walked out entirely, Harvey made one last effort. "I'm serious. I'm not approving sick days for you."

"Harvey, will you please stop fretting? Paulsen antibodies can totally kick your Specter virus's ass!"

Needless to say, the matadora won. Except, this one never set off to slay the bull. She healed him.

* * *

 **A/N (aka. Author's Nonsense):** **Thank you so much for reading. To** **participate in the _Save-a-Donna_ movement, please exercise, eat healthy, and if you have extra time, please feel free to leave a review. *****appreciation level: Harvey-the-Bull**

* * *

 ***a glimpse of what's coming (disclaimer - t** **hink happy thoughts):**

"Are you Harvey Specter?"

A little girl with big blue eyes was staring back at him. Harvey looked towards Donna's desk. _Empty_. What was he supposed to do now?

"What if I am?"

"Then, I think you're my father."


	8. Scout's Honor

**8 - SCOUT'S HONOR**

* * *

His first day back at work was numbingly dull. Two meetings were canceled, and the newest case was a bore. Five minutes into the briefing, and he'd already figured out how to win it. He even had a closing prepared.

Harvey swiveled his chair towards the city view, scarcely noticing the Manhattan skyline.

 _'...we are quite a pair.'_

Donna had said those words. Except, she'd meant it in the most platonic way possible - as colleagues, as manager and assistant, as friends. _That hug._ She'd been adamant to pretend that it never happened. It gave him a glimpse of how carefully she treaded.

Harvey's daydream was short-lived when a voice scared the wits out of him.

"Are you Harvey Specter?"

Harvey jerked backwards, his chair crashing unceremoniously against the desk. He slammed his eyes shut and took deep breaths. _So much for his 'untouched by mortal concerns' reputation._ More composed, he wore a harsh scowl before turning. At the sight of his _intruder_ , Harvey's expression instantly softened.

A little girl with big blue eyes was staring back at him. Her presence was anything but small, commanding his office as her own. Harvey wasn't aware that it was _bring-your-kid-to-work_ day. He was still guessing 'which partner's daughter' when she asked again, "Are you Harvey Specter?"

Harvey's gaze wandered towards Donna's desk. _Empty_. What was he supposed to do?

He was horrible with children. Nieces and nephews didn't count because by blood, they were obligated to tolerate him. It wasn't like he set off to steal happiness from every child he met. He liked them well enough when they weren't bawling. But for reasons beyond Harvey's comprehension, kids usually cried in his presence. He had a talent for driving them into a state of irrevocable anxiety - simply by breathing the same air. No sane parents would want to hear his defense either. _'It's not me. It's them.'_ For the sake of public betterment, his _type_ should stick to _child-free_ arrangements. A concept like _gluten-free,_ except with mini-human beings.

"And you are?" Harvey asked in what he believed was his _gentle_ voice.

"I'm Lexie," she answered, as if the name was supposed to mean something. _Nothing_. "Are you Harvey Specter?"

 _Third time. Such tenacity._ "What if I am?"

"Then, I think you're my father."

Six words, and his world was completely upended. Life experienced at the speed of _what-wicked-reality-is-this_ an hour was paralyzing. He was free falling, his face undoubtedly thirty shades paler.

He tried to rationally process what he saw before him. The girl had to be no more than five. Harvey racked his brain for every brunette, blue-eyed woman he'd ever _encountered_. Perhaps the girl was telepathic because she suddenly volunteered a name.

"Do you remember Jane Hart?"

 _Jane Hart._ Harvey recalled going out with her. And then, doing more than _going out_ a few other times. But he'd been careful. _Unlikely, yes. But, not_ _impossible._ Harvey anxiously ran his fingers down his tie. "Uh, kid. I mean, Lexie. I think there's been a…"

 _Misunderstanding?_ What did a man say to a stranger who could potentially be his daughter? He couldn't just shoo her away, could he? What if she started wailing?

"Give me a minute." He scoured the place for something to keep her engaged. Pens. Records. Folders _._ _Balls!_ Sacrificing one of his autographed collections, he offered it to her. _Sorry, MJ._ "Why don't you go and play over there?"

The ball was larger than Lexie's head, and it seemed that she could easily topple over while hugging it. Maybe he should have picked the pen. With a straight face, she leveled a perceptive gaze upon him. _Aura? Formidable._

"Or you can just stand there and watch me," Harvey stated the obvious as he dialed Donna's number.

Five excruciating rings later, the woman finally answered, "Hello."

"Donna! Where the HELL…- _icopter_ are you?" Harvey's glance flickered towards Lexie, wondering if his foul language had gone unnoticed. The girl shook her head disapprovingly. _Guilty as charged_. "Please come back. _Now_."

"Why do you sound so nervous?"

"There's a girl. In my office," Harvey gritted through his teeth.

"Ew. Harvey! Too much information!"

"Donna, get your mind out of the gutter! I mean an actual kid who appeared out of nowhere."

"So? It's not like you're risking your life with a ticking bomb."

 _Unpredictable mini-humans. Ticking bombs._ They were really the same in Harvey's books.

"She claims that I'm her father," Harvey said, lowering his voice to an almost whisper. He wasn't about to make Lexie feel _unwanted_ , afraid that mere defining seconds could one day commit her to a mental institution. These things left permanent scars. _Freudian mess and all._

"Harvey, how many times have I told you to use protection? But I guess we're too late for that lecture. You know what you need to do, right? Lexie needs a father figure in her life."

Harvey grew suspicious at Donna's disinterest. It wasn't everyday that he had to deal with a _non-Mike_ kid. Knowing Donna, she'd be _zooming_ in by now.

' _Lexie needs a father figure…'_ He'd not mentioned a name. _Damn it!_ He'd been played!

"You…," he trailed off as Donna strutted into his office. She took the basketball from Lexie and returned it to a very stunned Harvey. The two high-fived and howled with glee.

"You were amazing, Lexie," Donna praised. "Harvey! You should have seen the look on your face. That's revenge for embarrassing me in front of Mike two weeks ago. Now, we're even!"

" _That_ was a harmless hoax. This, on the other hand...," Harvey argued. "Donna, I actually saw my life flashing before my eyes. I thought I'd be attending school plays and beating her prom dates away."

"Prom dates? She's four, Harvey."

"Age is irrelevant. I'm not letting _ass..sshes_ near my girl." _Another poor save._ He really should stop swearing so much.

Donna didn't have a snappy comeback. She was looking at him a bit dazed, even.

Lexie tugged on Donna's hand, "Ma, can we get Chunky Monkey now?"

"Ma?" Harvey repeated, his jaw dropping ungraciously. Would the surprises never cease? Lexie did have Donna's air of confidence and stage talents. But no, he wasn't falling for another prank. "Ah, I see. You guys are playing me again..."

Donna shook her head. "Lexie _is_ my goddaughter. Her mother and I go way back. When Lexie was younger, she couldn't say 'Donna' so we agreed to let her call me 'Ma'," she explained. "Lexie will be spending the night with me. Her mother is off to Chicago for an urgent errand. If it's okay with you, she'll stay with us. If it's inconvenient, I can always check in a hotel-"

"Of course, Lexie can stay with us," Harvey interrupted. "Why would you even consider-"

Harvey wasn't sure what happened in the next three seconds. He felt something wrapped around his waist. When he looked down, he realized that _something_ was Lexie hugging him.

"Thank you, Harvey," Lexie said, beaming at him with clear blue eyes.

Awkwardly, he patted her head twice. "There, there." He cringed inwardly at his stupidity.

Donna's lips curved in pure devilment, obviously finding his unpracticed reactions very entertaining.

 _'Donna! Help!'_ Harvey pleaded silently when seconds later, the girl was still _glued_ to him.

With a soft chuckle, Donna took pity on him. "Come on, Lexie. Let's go get ice cream."

The girl untangled herself from Harvey and ran towards Donna. When she saw that he had not followed, Lexie asked, "Are you not coming, Harvey?"

His eyes met Donna's, uncertain if he was asking for permission to join or an excuse to stay behind. Donna shrugged to let him know it was entirely his call. Pondering over his options, he glanced at his watch. It was almost five. He wouldn't be missed on this impossibly slow day.

Harvey moved closer to them. "I'm coming. But before ice cream, shouldn't we get dinner first? What would you like to have, kid?"

Lexie smiled so radiantly that Harvey couldn't help but match it with the same intensity. Surprisingly, she extended a hand towards him. He swallowed, struck dumb with what to do with the small fragile hand. Lexie giggled at his perplexed expression.

"Like this," Lexie guided. She took Harvey's hand, pried his fingers open and wrapped his larger palm over hers.

It was such an unfamiliar contact. Alien, but strangely comforting _._ His hold was weak, afraid that he'd bruise or crush her bones. Guessing Harvey's thoughts correctly, the minx gripped tighter to let him know it was okay. He squeezed back gently to convey that he got it.

"She loves pizza," Donna said over Lexie's head.

Harvey nodded and led them forward. "I know just the place."

* * *

Over dinner, they talked about the most _un-Harvey things_. He'd never imagined that listening to a four-year-old animately go on about princesses and a singing snowman could be so enjoyable. In truth, he loved the domesticity between Donna and Lexie. There was a whole nurturing side to Donna that he'd never witnessed before. Who knew she was such a natural? He was envisioning life with redhead babies - some of them with spiky hair - when Lexie's voice brought him back to the present.

"Harvey, why are you so quiet?"

"I don't know anything about princesses." Honest and direct, he didn't bother to conceal his ignorance. The women in his life were tough and independent. Donna, Rachel, and Jessica - they were all respectably warrior-like. In his circle, the closest person he could classify as _princess material_ would be Louis. But Harvey didn't think Lexie's princesses went mudding, had unhealthy obsessions for dictaphones, or lost their minds over stolen granola bars. Naturally, Harvey had nothing to contribute.

"I see," Lexie said, sounding very understanding and adult-like. "Is that because you're a ' _layer_ '?"

Harvey choked, sputtering on a mouthful of soda. Donna looked pained, deciding whether to play along or save him. Thankfully, she took the high road. Donna barely stifled her mirth when she corrected the mistake. " _Lawyer_ , Lexie."

"Oh, sorry. That's right. You told Mommy that Harvey is a lawyer."

Harvey was delighted to learn that he was a topic of interest between Donna and her friend. He focused his attention on Lexie. "So, Donna talks about me with your mother?"

From the corner of his eyes, he caught Donna sitting up straighter. _Intriguing_.

"Yes. All the time. She says you work very hard, and you take good care of her. Also, you're really kind and gen-err-us, though you look mean."

"Lexie!" Donna flushed. Harvey burst out laughing at the revelations. Lexie giggled, joining in his merriment.

"Tsk, tsk. Donna. _All the time?_ I'm flattered. And such glowing reviews, too!" At his tease, the woman turned impossibly redder. "So, Lexie, now that you've met me, do you think I'm mean?"

Lexie gave him a detailed once-over before shaking her head. "No. I think you're cute _."_

 _Damn it_ , he didn't want to be _cute_.

"Can I be _cool_ instead? Or _handsome_. I can live with _handsome,_ " Harvey countered, illustrating his intentions with a suave pose.

"No, not handsome. You're cute...and adow-wobble," Lexie confirmed. She tapped a finger to her chin, as if she'd just presented mankind's wisest assessment. There was no winning with _Little Yoda._

Harvey's shoulders slumped in defeat. A four-year old had dismissed him as 'not handsome'. Licking his wounds, he sighed, "Fine, I'll settle for cute. And _adow-wobble_. But only for you, Lexie."

It was Donna's turn to laugh. "Harvey Specter, hardcore lawyer losing an argument to a kid. Can you two replay that again? I need to get this on my phone."

"Traitor," Harvey mumbled. "You're supposed to help me."

Oblivious to the bantering, Lexie hopped off the seat and moved to Harvey's side. She tried to climb up the bench but struggled against the height.

"Harvey?"

"Hold on, kid." He scooped Lexie up, carefully balanced her on his lap, and circled his arms around to keep her from falling. Lexie pinched his nose. "Harvey, do you like Ma?"

 _Ma. Donna._ Like a deer caught in the headlights, Harvey froze. Across them, Donna momentarily lost the power of speech too. It seemed she was going to let him handle the predicament alone. _Solo_. _How thoughtful._

"Yes," Harvey answered with a slow nod. He suspected that Lexie's 'like' was innocent enough.

"Why are you _not_ together?" Lexie probed matter-of-factly. _Oops, not the innocent brand of 'like'._

 _Awkward. Silence_. The heavy air hanging between them could suffocate a hippo. But the truth was, Lexie had a point, and Harvey wanted to know what Donna had to say. With a smirk, he redirected the question in a half-serious tone.

"Yes, Donna. Why are we _not_ together?"

Donna eyes rounded in shock, not anticipating the _bounce pass_. Harvey was expecting that she'd bring up _the_ _rule_ when she effectively - and regrettably - swayed the conversation another way.

"Eat, Lexie. Didn't you want to take the carriage ride at the park? We need to hurry if we want to make it."

"Nice save," Harvey muttered under his breath. "Carriage ride, it is."

* * *

Ray was driving them home after an eventful night. In the backseat, Lexie had her arms around Harvey's neck, her head snuggling against his chest. The tiny ball of energy was dozing off, using him as a human mattress. Despite his legs turning uncomfortably numb, he didn't dare to move. Harvey ran a hand up and down her back, lulling her to sleep with the soothing motion.

Donna observed them with a small smile. "For someone who claims he's not good with children, you won Lexie over in minutes. She hasn't left your side since she met you."

"I'm still not good with them. Lexie just has the patience of a saint. She makes it easy for me," Harvey justified. In mere hours, he'd come to develop a soft spot for the perceptive kid. "I had no idea you were a godmother."

"I've known Lexie's mother since high school. With our busy schedules, we only see each other during the holidays. But sometimes when she needs to travel, she lets me have Lexie for a few days."

"What other secrets have you been keeping from me, Donna?" Harvey quirked his brow curiously.

"If I told you, then they wouldn't be secrets. But it's clear that we've completely worn her out," Donna scooted closer to brush Lexie's hair. "Pizza, ice cream, carriage rides, and the Empire State observatory deck? You went all out for her, Harvey."

"It was nothing. Besides, Donna, she's your goddaughter. Why would I not?"

If things had happened as planned, he'd be spoiling Donna now. But with one fiasco after another, his 'almost dating' plan had gone all kinds of awry.

"Thank you, Harvey. I..."

It sounded like there was more, but when he faced Donna, she was already looking out the window. For the rest of the way, they didn't share another word.

* * *

Harvey leaned against the doorjamb as he watched Donna tuck Lexie in.

"I had fun today, Harvey," Lexie said from Donna's bed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I also had a great time."

Donna kissed Lexie's forehead. "Go to sleep, little monster. It's _way_ past your bedtime."

"Promise I won't tell Mommy if you won't," Lexie said. Harvey admired the witty comeback. _Little monster,_ indeed. "Harvey, are you going to kiss me goodnight?"

He ambled over to sit on the bed. "I don't know how. I've never done it before."

Lexie cradled Harvey's face in her hands. Pulling him down, she said, "You do this." Then, her lips landed briefly between his brows. "Got it?"

"Got it." _Not really._ Everything about ' _it'_ was out of his comfort zone. Brushing her bangs to the side, Harvey gently touched his lips to Lexie's forehead. "How did I do?"

"Not bad for a first time. But you need to practice more," Lexie critiqued. "Maybe you can practice with Ma."

"What?!" Donna and Harvey said in unison.

"Maybe you can practice with Ma. You can tuck her in and kiss her goodnight," Lexie repeated, unaware that the two uptight adults had heard it perfectly well the first time. "Come on, Harvey. Be brave!" Wiser words had never been spoken all night. _All decade._

Harvey decided to run with the opportunity that Lexie had unknowingly granted. He asked Donna, "Humor the kid?" _And me_. There was a place in hell reserved for people like him, exploiting a kid's naivety as a front for his ulterior motives.

Donna held his gaze, but she didn't seem upset. She was... _contemplative_. Eventually, she consented, "For Lexie."

Harvey reassured, "For Lexie. Now, get into bed." Donna glared at him. "You know what I mean. Nothing funny. Scout's Honor."

She slipped under the covers as Harvey pulled the blankets over her shoulders. Memories from the last time he'd tucked her in flashed across his mind. _Her near confession._ For long moments, he could only look at her.

"Harvey! Have you forgotten _how_ already?" Lexie prompted, breaking him out of his trance.

"Right." He nervously bent forward, realizing this was the closest that he'd come to kissing Donna in years. When his lips brushed against her brow, he lingered longer than appropriate. At Donna's gasp, he drew back with a shy smile.

Next to them, Lexie was as still as a brick. She'd fallen asleep.

Without an audience, Donna decidedly called him out. "No funny business? Scout's Honor?"

 _'Come on, Harvey. Be brave!'_ Lexie's words rang in his mind.

Before he could overthink, Harvey swept in once more and kissed Donna's cheek, deliberately touching the corner of her mouth. And just as swiftly, he pulled away and scurried to the door. She was about to give him an earful when Harvey preemptively gestured towards Lexie. "Shhh. She's sleeping."

"What the hell were you thinking?" Donna hissed. She looked confounded, but fortunately, not angry.

 _What the hell was I thinking? That I wish I could kiss you properly. And I will...just not tonight,_ Harvey thought. Between her quickened breaths and his pounding heart, there was no doubt that they had both felt something more. She was as affected as he was. Even so, Harvey didn't want to push his luck. As chaste as it was, the _almost kiss_ was enough _brave_ for now.

"Harvey?" Donna softly urged at his silence.

Instead of explaining himself, Harvey smiled and winked.

"Never was a Scout."

* * *

 **A/N: A sincere thanks to all you** **adow-wobble readers and reviewers.**


	9. Boys Will Be Boys

**9 - BOYS WILL BE BOYS**

* * *

 _Swoosh._ The crumpled piece of paper flew into the trash can.

"Score!" _Fist Pump. Smug head tilt. A 'so-pleased-with-myself' smile._ Harvey was nothing but generous in brandishing his victory in Mike's face. "I win. Again."

"You got home court advantage. _Again_. It's hardly fair when it's _your_ paper. _Your_ trash can. _Your_ office," Mike defended.

" _You're_ such a sore loser. When will you learn to accept that I am the King of Paper Toss?"

Walking into Harvey's office, Donna sarcastically put forth, "I hate to disrupt this very _important_ meeting." She surveyed the _Origami Wasteland_ before continuing, "But the _King of Trash Cans_ has been requested to make an appearance at Jessica's office. She wants to see you and Louis in twenty minutes."

"King of Trash _Can_. Singular. He only reigns _that_ specific one," Mike corrected, pointing to the said item on the floor. "You know what, Harvey? I bet you can't beat me on neutral grounds."

Harvey felt the urge to wipe the smirk off the junior partner's face, and he was going to start by raising the stakes. "Donna, did you say twenty minutes?" Upon her confirmation, Harvey directed his next words at Mike. "Let's have the rematch now. You name the place, and the loser has to do whatever the winner wants. No excuses."

Mike eagerly stepped forward. "I'm in."

Donna crossed her arms disapprovingly. "Seriously, has mankind's sophistication been reduced to dustbins and scrap paper fights? Where are all the _real_ men?"

Mike chuckled and decided to loop her in. "Donna, _when_ I win, I'll let you decide what you want Harvey to do."

"Oooh! Now, _that's_ an offer I can't refuse," Donna remarked with newfound excitement. "Deal! Go, Team Ross!"

Harvey grimaced at the easy alliance the sister-brother duo formed against him. He confidently contradicted, "Instead of giving her false hopes, why not give her a box of tissues? You and I both know there is only one way this is going to end. And that's with Donna drying your sad ass tears when you lose."

Unaware of the childish competition, Louis couldn't have chosen a worse moment to enter Harvey's office. "Harvey! Jessica's back from her vacation."

"How about we do it in Louis's office?" Mike suggested.

Louis blinked. "Huh? Who's _'we'_ , and what are _'we'_ doing in my office?"

"Lead the way," Harvey agreed before addressing his co-managing partner's confusion. "Louis, we're borrowing your office for a toss-off."

Mike enthusiastically led the group into their new _court -_ his so-called 'neutral ground'. Harvey set up the game as the junior partner reassured Louis that they wouldn't be _violating_ his furniture by any means. While the two contestants positioned themselves at the far end of the room, Donna and Louis stood to the side as witnesses. Outside the office, a few curious colleagues began to gather around.

"Six chances. We'll take turns going first," Mike explained. Harvey shrugged, not fussy about the rules. It made no difference when he was going to kick the kid's rear end.

Mike's opening throw missed by a good three feet. Harvey's first attempt also missed but landed closer to the trash can, his aim more measured. Exchanging harmless taunts along the way, Harvey and Mike each scored three points. It finally came down to the sixth round to break their tie. With Harvey's turn to start, he took a deep breath, suddenly feeling nervous at the prospect of losing. Timing his release carefully, he tossed his paper towards the trash can. Everything looked promising - the ball was heading in the right direction. In the right angle. At the last stretch, however, the damn thing stubbornly bounced off the rim.

"Shit!" Harvey blurted, horrified at the miss.

Mike, however, was uncharacteristically quiet; he stood unblinking, eyes resolute and focused ahead. Turning slightly to address Donna, he asked, "Do you have an idea for Harvey's walk-of-shame yet?"

"I've got a few thoughts," she answered with a mischievous grin.

"Good. Because Grandpa's going down," Mike goaded as he rolled his shoulder back and threw the wadded paper into the air. Harvey anxiously watched his fate unfold in slow motion. The toss. The rise and fall. The landing. Inside the trash can.

 _Mike's win._ _His defeat._

"No!" Harvey heard himself shout amidst the crowd's loud cheering. Louis's and Donna's, included.

"Yes!" It was Mike's turn to do his victory dance. "Harvey, remember the stakes? No excuses."

"Damn it," Harvey muttered under his breath.

In an instant, the air around them turned dark and heavy. The group of bystanders chaotically dispersed like headless chickens as Jessica _glided_ into Louis's office. Harvey quickly jumped to their defense. "Jessica, we were just-"

Jessica simply asked, "Who won?"

Four pair of eyes assessed her in silent shock. She repeated the question, and this time, Mike sheepishly raised his hand. "I did."

"Congratulations, Mike. Harvey will be by to collect his _punishment_ after his meeting with me. Make it a hell of a good one. And if he doesn't follow through, you have my permission to enforce it on my behalf," Jessica offered with a wink. Mike beamed back, pleasantly surprised at her playful endorsement. She faced the two managing partners and in a serious tone, she ordered, " _Boys_ , game's over. Meeting. Now."

Donna pursed her lips to stifle a smile while Mike gave Harvey a wide grin as he followed his mentor out of the room. Trailing close behind Jessica, Harvey heard the junior partner call out, "Harvey! Donna will name the consequence, but I'll be providing the tissues. Will ten boxes be enough for the tears you'll be crying?"

 _Embarrassing. As. Hell._ Pretending not to hear _,_ Harvey sent a prayer skyward. He was already in _Murkyland_ with Donna, and he could only hope that this bet payback would not complicate things further _._

* * *

The ever-so-efficient Jessica spent their meeting hounding for updates. It wasn't that she didn't trust _her boys_ to run the firm. She did. Just not completely. And Harvey could hardly fault her when he and Louis had a history of blowing shit up in her absence.

When she learned about Louis's crisis, Jessica reprimanded Harvey for not informing her earlier. Hidden behind her sternness though, Jessica also found new confidence in them.

"Louis, where are we on the Trico-Paws merger?" Jessica asked, her eyes skimming through the documents.

"Contracts have been finalized. There will be an announcement in the press tomorrow."

Harvey frowned. "Hold on. Wasn't their meeting canceled the other day?"

"Uh, about that." Louis mumbled, each subsequent word more incoherent than the one before, "It wers mehhh's yeadea."

Not only was the man's speech incomprehensible, his _meowing_ was definitely of a feline nature.

"It wers mehhhh...what? Please translate. I don't speak _cat_ ," Harvey probed.

"It was Mike's idea," Louis repeated.

" _What_ was Mike's idea?"

"To seal the deal without you." At Harvey's death stare, Louis hurriedly elaborated, "Before you get all worked up, hear me out. You'd just returned from sick leave, and we thought you should take it easy. Besides, Mike was sure that you wouldn't miss such a tedious case. To quote boy wonder's exact words, he said 'Harvey would rather staple his eyelids together'."

Harvey slumped back in his chair. Without a doubt, this wasn't the only meeting he'd been spared from. It explained why work had been so _dull_ as of late. "Damn it, Louis. I don't know whether to thank you or punch you in the nose."

Louis's hands flew up to cover his face. "Do I get to pick?"

"No," Harvey grumbled, feeling equal parts annoyed and grateful. He hated being coddled, but Mike and Louis had done it with his best interest at heart. Despite the idiocy of their execution, their intentions had been noble. Eventually, Harvey chose to acknowledge their thoughtfulness. "Thank you, Louis. But next time, let me decide. My brain's been degenerating from underuse."

Louis let out a long breath. "Okay. Got it. Let you decide," he assured, still barely articulate.

Witnessing the amiable dynamics, Jessica commented with great amusement, "Awww! What a magical moment this is...I think I've got tears in my eyes. Look at you two - all grown up and getting along like BFFs. If I knew my vacation could work such wonders, I never would have come back so soon." She slid two envelopes across the table, one towards each managing partner. "We have one more topic to cover."

Both partners tore their envelopes open.

"The Harvard Alumni Reunion?" Harvey asked.

"The Aid-a-Friend Foundation Fundraiser?" Louis inquired at the same time.

"Yes. And yes. You're each representing the firm at these events," Jessica said matter-of-factly.

Also known as _Professional Whoring_. It was the most tormenting part of the job. The galas, reunions, and various forms of publicity that required him to strut around in a penguin outfit. Then again, the equation wasn't right. There were three of them against the two invitations. Harvey angled his head towards Jessica. "And while Louis and I are out putting our _pretty faces_ on display, what exactly will you be doing?"

"Not free. Both days," Jessica answered with a carefree shrug. "I've had to attend these _delightful_ events for years. This time, I'll let you boys _enjoy_ the limelight instead." She shoved to her feet and gathered her folders. "Please remember that you'll be representing the firm. Just in case you two _pretty faces_ are entertaining funny ideas inside your heads, I'm snapping you both out of it now. _Behave_."

"And if we don't?" Harvey cheekily challenged Jessica's authoritative tone. He couldn't help himself.

"Hmmm. Burned desks. Shattered windows. Flying skills put to test. I can be very _creative_ so I wouldn't try my luck against _me_." And with a knowing grin, she coolly walked out of the room.

Harvey flipped the Harvard invitation around, still devising an excuse to get out of it despite Jessica's warning. He had no interest for reunions where everyone went to showoff their peacock feathers. He didn't need five hundred strangers' validations to know if he was doing well in life. Harvey had better things to do with his time. _Like sit still and breathe_.

Across the table, Louis was eyeing Harvey's fingers with intense yearning. _No, not his fingers -_ because that would truly be disturbing. Louis was longing for the Harvard invitation.

Since Harvey was looking for an out, he was tempted to switch with Louis. But first, he had to know what he would be signing up for. Fundraisers in general didn't float Harvey's boat either.

"Louis, what's the Aid-a-Friend Foundation?"

Louis energetically took the opportunity to pitch for an exchange. "They're an organization that supports children's education for poor families. Every year, they would host a music-arts fundraiser and invite executives from the city's top firms. Let's see who they're featuring this year." Louis read his invitation more closely. "Holy! The NYC Theater Company is debuting an act from _An American in Paris_. And the highest donor also gets an exclusive backstage pass to party with Ashley Vale!"

Louis was visibly shaking with excitement, and Harvey just had to ask, "Who?"

"Caveman Specter. Ashley Vale is one of the most remarkable stars in the stage community. Why do you not know these things?"

"I'm more of a beauty pageant kind of guy," Harvey replied with utmost boredom. While he didn't care much for theater, someone he cared a lot about did. A redhead, who still wouldn't see him in a different light.

 _A charity fundraiser with a stage performance. An American in Paris. The 'remarkable' Ashley-whatever-her-name-was._ He could work with this. Improvising a new plan to get himself out of Donna's friend zone, Harvey swapped Louis's invitation with his.

"Louis, you're going to the Harvard reunion. I'm off to this ' _thing'_ to save children's lives," Harvey said.

For a moment, Louis seemed overtaken with bliss for the chance to wag his success in front of the esteemed Harvard alumni. When he remembered what he'd be missing out, however, his expression turned a tad gloomy. "Harvey, I want to see the stage production. Since the fundraiser is an invitation for two, why don't you take me? I'll be your plus one!"

Harvey bit the insides of his cheeks. _Louis as his plus one?_ The idea alone was enough to make him cringe.

"I can't, Louis. Already have a date." _And also a lost bet to pay._

* * *

"There you are," Harvey said, walking into the file room. He found Donna sidled up against a shelf. By the time Harvey stood six feet away from her, she was still as quiet as a mouse and _not_ looking at him. _How odd?_

"Donna, I was wondering if-"

She jumped, startling them both. "God, Harvey. You scared me."

Harvey's brows dipped, observing her tautness. She was a far cry from her usual calm and collected self. "Donna, what's wrong? Are you-?"

The sound of the door flapping open interrupted him and unexpectedly, Donna covered Harvey's mouth with one hand as she half-dragged him further inside. Handling him like a shopping cart, they passed a few aisles before she thrusted him into what appeared to be a tiny storeroom. Too stunned to protest, he watched as Donna slipped inside and quietly closed the door behind her. Save for the light peeking through the door gap, they stood like two lost broomsticks in the dark.

The cramped space made it impossible for Harvey to maneuver around Donna without climbing over her. He couldn't see but felt the warmth radiating off her body, the scent of her vanilla shampoo filling his nose. As absurd as the situation was, wild thoughts of kissing her suddenly plagued his mind. He quickly shook some sense into himself. Something was bothering her, and he wanted to know what it was.

"Donna?"

"Quiet," she hissed.

The named partner Harvey would have barged out long before now, but the pathetically smitten Harvey played along. "I'm not an expert on storeroom manners. Apart from 'being quiet', what else are we allowed to do in this ridiculously small space?" His question went unanswered, the woman mostly likely rolling her eyes at him.

They weren't exactly touching but Donna's proximity and her tantalizing scent were enough to drive him mad with want. To put some distance between them, Harvey scooted backwards but had to stop when his shoulder blades hit something sharp. Hearing footsteps, Donna pressed closer against him. Biting back a curse, Harvey firmed his footing. He had no interest in impaling himself with unidentified pointy objects. Not when he hadn't had the chance to ask a certain _store-roomie_ out on a date yet.

Running low on patience and self-control, he murmured, "Seriously, what's going on? Why-"

"Shhh. No talking, Harvey." She blindly raised a hand, clumsily poked his jaw, and covered his mouth once again. When he tried to snatch her hand away, the abrupt movement tipped him off-balance and forced Harvey to shift his weight forward. Instinctively, he wrapped one arm around Donna's shoulders to avoid hurting her.

In this _modified_ entanglement, version 2.0, Harvey became hyperaware of Donna's every curve, her softness molded against his rigid frame. Earlier thoughts of kissing her came crashing back, and he had to consciously tell himself to be rational. This wasn't how he'd imagined their long overdue kiss. It was hardly romantic in such a dark, confined room. And especially not, when he didn't even know why they were hiding in the first place.

But when her breath teased his neck, sending shivers down his spine, Harvey's last shred of control dissipated entirely. There was no use in fighting it when his logic was close to nonexistent.

In the darkness, Harvey gradually reached out and found her cheeks. He grazed his fingers gently against her silky smooth skin, the touch pure and electrifying all at once.

She gasped, "Harvey, what are you doing?"

"Hush. You said no talking. For once, I'm finally following instructions," Harvey whispered, feeling rather than seeing her eyes burning into his. One of her hands moved to his chest but didn't push him away. He covered it with his own and gave it a light squeeze. Slowly leaning forward, he could sense her mouth only a hairbreadth away, her sweet ragged breath mingling with his.

Just as Harvey's lips brushed against hers, the door behind Donna flew wide open.

* * *

 **Quote of the Day: "Storeroom manners are a forgotten art." - said no one ever.**

 **A/N:** **An in-between chapter inspired by classic screwball comedies. There's a lot going on (silly, necessary evil) - more to be unraveled soon!** **Sending my gratitude (from a tiny storeroom) to all you wonderful readers and reviewers. Thank you!**


	10. Duck, Duck, Goose

**10 - DUCK, DUCK, GOOSE**

* * *

 _Just as Harvey's lips brushed against hers, the door behind Donna suddenly flew wide open._

* * *

The startling brightness briefly blinded Harvey, but fortunately, didn't leave him pea-brained. He leveraged the extra space the open door allowed to pivot Donna around. In one motion, he hid her behind his body, pushed the _uninvited guest_ away, stalked out of the room and shut the door. Extending to his full height, Harvey was the epitome of a dapper mortal barricade.

"Move away," the intruder grunted, an odd mix of frustration and despair etched on his face. At first glance, the sandy-haired man looked _civilized_ enough; standing a few inches taller than Harvey, he donned a blazer with an open collar shirt. Beyond appearances, however, everything else about this force of _instability_ screamed bad news. He also reeked of alcohol. "Moron! Are you deaf or dumb? MOVE! That's her inside, isn't it?"

 _Her._ Dread knotted in Harvey's stomach as he glared at _Wobbly_. There was no chance he was letting the drunk anywhere near Donna. Squaring his shoulders, Harvey commanded through gritted teeth, "Leave...before I call security."

" _Shit!_ You're Harvey! _The_ Harvey Specter?" The man rubbed his bloodshot eyes, as if a clearer vision would confirm anything.

"Have we met before?" Harvey asked impatiently.

"No, but we're definitely not strangers." The unidentified man's features twisted into one of disgust, measuring Harvey from head to toe. "So you're the reason Donna's been holding back on me. Her _boss_." _Hell_ , the word 'boss' even came with air quotes. After a mirthless snicker, he continued, "She's been sleeping with you all this time, hasn't she? But honestly, I never thought she'd be the quickie-in-the-office type-"

"Shut the hell up or I'll beat the shit out of you," Harvey warned, clenching his fists to keep his rage in check. He didn't make it a habit to fight with drunks, but for this scum, he was more than willing to make an exception.

Said scum was obviously bored of living because the man just wouldn't keep his damn mouth shut.

"Donna! I can't believe you gave us up for this fancy pansy!" the man barked at the door before sneering at Harvey. "She's a good lay, isn't she? _Slut_."

"You son of a bitch!" Without thought, Harvey slammed his fist into the man's face and sent him sprawling to the floor. In a flash, Harvey closed the gap and grabbed him by the lapels.

"Harvey, stop!"

From the corner of his eyes, Harvey caught Donna exiting the storeroom. He quickly ordered, "Get back in there!"

"Take that, asshole!" Temporarily distracted, Harvey was blindsided when a hard punch struck his left jaw, abruptly jerking his head to the side. It probably hurt like crazy, but his seething senses didn't let him feel much of anything, save for the dull humming in his ears. Seeing red, Harvey ducked an incoming blow and jabbed the man in the stomach twice before hurling him off.

Sobering hands clutched his forearm. _Donna's._ "Don't, Harvey!"

The dirtbag groaned in agony, his body curling into a ball. Shaking off Donna's grip, Harvey prowled forward.

"Harvey!" This time, it was Mike's voice that halted his advance. The junior partner barged in, followed by two other associates. _And they_ _all_ _wielded forks in their hands._ If it weren't for the severe state of affairs, their ridiculous weapon of choice would have elicited a laugh from Harvey.

"We heard noises…," Mike broke off as he took in the scene and wisely instructed the associates to haul the half-conscious stranger away. Once alone, he inquired with visible concern, "Donna? Harvey? Are you...?"

Harvey belatedly realized that he'd not uttered a word for a long time. He was still infuriated, but Donna gripped his arm so tightly that he read her need for him to keep it together.

"We're fine," Harvey answered with forced poise. Next to him, Donna nodded, her grasp relaxing a notch at his assurance. With a conscious attempt to lighten the mood for Donna's sake, Harvey pointed to the _deadly_ tool in Mike's hand. "Forks? Really? What were you guys planning to do? Poke the attacker in the butt to see if he was well-done?"

Pocketing the embarrassing item away, Mike justified, "We were in the pantry when we heard noises, and it was a choice between forks, spoons, or Louis's prunie. None of us wanted to sit through his eerie _Litt's Precious Untouchables_ lecture, so yes, _forks_." Mike shrugged in good humor. "Anyway, if you're both alright, I'll go and sort things out with security."

With the anger subsiding, Harvey's shot nerves began to feel the full extent of the pain. His knuckles, his jaw - they were burning with an intensifying throb; still, Harvey smiled, not wanting Mike or Donna to worry about insignificant bruises. "Thanks, Mike. Make sure they don't let that dickhead into the building again."

Mike nodded once, and out of loyalty, he did not pry. Before taking his leave though, he just _had_ to make a cheeky remark. Except this one completely backfired. "I didn't mean to interfere with your… _Uh-Activity_."

Mike's gaze wandered towards Donna's hand on Harvey's arm, the tiny storeroom, and back to Harvey's face. Then, he actually blushed.

 _Wonderful!_ It was clear as day that the junior partner thought Harvey had been caught engaging in a scandalous act with Donna. To be fair, Mike wasn't entirely mistaken given what Harvey had been up to before the interruption. Playing on keen eyes, he decided to feed Mike his own pill.

"Take a walk, Mike, so we can continue our _Uh-Activity._ " Harvey heavily laced each word with a suggestive tone and ended it with a wicked wink.

Mike's eyes rounded in shock as an awkward silence settled between them. _Dead air._ _One second. Two seconds. Three seconds._ And suddenly, he screamed, "Ahhh! My mind just imploded! Dear God! Make me unsee and forget that image!" With that, Mike cradled his head in his palms and sprinted out of the room amidst the sound of Harvey's evil laughter.

" _Uh-Activity_?" Donna repeated with a half-smile. When she turned to Harvey again though, a frown instantly set in.

* * *

Donna gently grazed his knuckles, now swollen and marred with an angry red.

"Here, let me," she said, tugging off her scarf to wrap it gingerly around his injury. They both understood that it was more of a sentimental gesture because the piece of thin fabric possessed absolutely no healing qualities. Harvey welcomed the silky coolness against his burning skin, but the pink floral pattern? _Not so muc_ h. It was too feminine next to his dark suit. Even so, he allowed Donna to work on her _handicraft_ since it gave them both time to sort out their own thoughts.

"We should get that checked out," she suggested, referring to his jaw as she carefully tied a knot around his wrist. He waved off her concern, but she was still too tense. Too anxious. At this rate, she'd soon close him off completely.

Smiling to appease her, he held up his _hand-of-art_ and gave it a curious study _._ Donna watched him so intently that he couldn't help but tease, "If I had known that you have a thing for the _hand-scarf_ look, I would have worn it to work everyday. Should we also add a bow to my hair to complete the ensemble?" His silly jest earned him a grin. It was time to get some answers.

"Donna, what was _that_ all about?"

" _That_ was me...embracing the Spirit of Avoidance," she offered, the evasive answer an appropriate demonstration of her made-up cult.

"Thank you, _Master_ _Obvious._ Who was that? And since when does the fearless Donna avoid anyone?"

The silent pause went on for so long that Harvey almost gave up, thinking she'd never respond. Then, she surprised him with an answer. "Since I dated and very callously broke up with the man."

Harvey inclined his head, quietly asking.

"You just met Mitchell."

 _Mitchell_. The ex-boyfriend who Harvey had never desired to know. Mitchell was one of Donna's more serious relationships, and though Harvey would never admit it, he'd not been able to bring himself to get acquainted with a man who Donna could potentially settle down with. His ego would not allow it. His heart didn't even acknowledge it.

Harvey furrowed his brows. "I never would have guessed. That piece of _shit_ was Mitchell?"

"Yes. Actually, I've never seen him so out of control."

"What was he doing here?" Harvey both dreaded and anticipated her answer as he pressed, "Are you two still...?"

"A couple? No. But he wants to get back together, and I've been avoiding his calls. He used to show up knocking at my apartment. When I moved to your place, it sort of took care of that. I never thought he'd come to the firm. When I saw him earlier, I panicked."

"Why have you never said anything to me?"

While relieved that Donna had dodged a bullet with that sorry excuse of a man, Harvey was annoyed that she hadn't trusted him enough to share her troubles. He could have protected her better if he'd known.

"Because I was afraid whatever just happened _would_ happen. You two beating the crap out of each other. That's why I dragged you away. I didn't want him to see you. With me." Hiding her face from Harvey, she clarified, "I'm not proud of it, but I _did_ hurt Mitchell. When we broke up, we had the fight of the century. He made me feel like everything I've ever achieved…it's because you and I...anyway, I wish people would see _more_ when they look at me."

Piecing her unspoken words together with Mitchell's accusations, Harvey had an inkling of how disastrous their break up was.

 _'I wish people would see_ more _when they look at me.'_

 _People. Plural. Recurring._

Harvey was well aware that their relationship had marked the rumor mills on and off; he just didn't think it rattled her anymore. Then, the bastard discounted Donna's worth by labeling her success as something she'd earned by dishing out personal favors. That alone was sufficient justification for Mitchell to suffer the blows. No, Harvey could think of a hundred other things he'd rather do to that piece of shit. Mike's fork, included.

"Donna?" Harvey prompted when he caught her frown. He waited for her to meet his eyes before he said, "You're never _less_. Not to me. Never have been. Never will be."

Her expression softened momentarily at his words, but as if convinced otherwise, Donna shook her head and insisted, "Promise me that you won't go after him, Harvey."

With great reluctance, he eventually nodded. "Only if you promise to tell me the second Mitchell bothers you again."

She conceded, wearing an easy smile for him - except this one was tinged with sadness. Then, out of the blue, Donna threw him a curve ball. Evidently, she was determined to put the entire predicament behind them. "Why are you here? _You_ in a file room just seems... _wrong_. It's like Superman showing up at a used car tent."

Recalling why he'd originally sought her out, Harvey explained, "I have to attend a fundraiser this Saturday. Will you join me? Jessica can't make it, and I _really_ don't want to bring Louis. Crime rates are high enough as it is. Let's not add 'Hunky Lawyer Whacks Chatty Colleague' to the headlines."

"Hunky?" Donna's mouth twitched at his conceited vanity.

He winked. "My make-believe reporter has good taste."

"Or needs a pair of glasses," Donna chipped in, drawing a mock pout from him.

"Yes, _sunglasses_. To protect her eyes from going blind when she's exposed to all this _hunkiness_." It sounded so stupid that he could barely keep a straight face. One glance at his floral-scarfed hand and the self-proclaimed _hunky creds_ immediately _flatlined_. "Okay, that's horribly lame. But I haven't told you the best part yet. The NYC Theater Company is performing at the event." Donna's grin deepened, and he eagerly fired one more _ammunition of persuasion_. "Featuring Ashley..."

"Vale?" Excitement flooded her features. At Harvey's nod, she reconfirmed, "Are you sure you want to take me? These fundraisers are for making new connections."

 _Screw new connections,_ his brain screamed. At the moment, there was only one connection he was interested in:

 _***WiFi: Donna-Harvey_

 _***Signal strength: Weak as hell (and still friend-zoned)_

 _***Diagnostic: Unplanned crap (such as drunk ex-boyfriend) kept getting in the way_

 _***Status: As connected as a giraffe to a soy latte_

Not giving up, Harvey tried _connecting_ once more. "Please, Donna?"

Her eyes flickered towards his injured hand and his probably-by-now purplish bruised jaw. "Since you said 'please'," Donna agreed, seemingly wanting to make up for his misfortune. Before Harvey could address her guilt, she added, "Oh, I have to find something nice to wear! I'm definitely not losing to you in the fashion department."

Harvey chuckled at her competitive spirit and offered, "You're covered because today is Secretary Day."

Rolling her eyes, she refuted, "It's _not_ Secretary Day."

"Honestly, Donna, I don't give a damn what day it is." If he had a choice, he'd make it Secretary Day _everyday_ for her. He pulled his credit card out and placed it in her palm. "This one's on me. Go crazy. Shoes. Dresses. Whatever you need."

Donna slipped the card right back into his pocket. "I already know what to wear. As for the color of your tie? _Davy's gray_ to match my dress."

 _Women and their myriad shades of colors._ Harvey had no idea how the gray of some guy named Davy was different to...well, the generic gray. He mentally added to his to-do list: _Call tailor urgently for grayish tie_.

Cheerfully, he mocked, "Should I also get you a pair of sunglasses for the event? You know, so you won't blind your eyes with all this..."

He was gesturing at himself when Donna cut in, "If you say the _H-word_ again, I will let you attend the fundraiser with the notorious _Chatty Colleague_ instead."

"Cruel, cruel woman." Harvey shivered dramatically, and a laugh spilled from Donna's lips. The sound was so wonderfully spirited that he couldn't stop himself from smiling back.

"Davy's gray tie. Got it! Consider yourself, I mean your dress, _matched._ "

* * *

 **A/N: As always, thank** **you for reading and reviewing.** **Next** **chapter: pretty people in pretty attires (doing _pretty_ things). *****If you ever discover the Donna-Harvey** **WiFi** **connection on your smartphone, the login password is** **: Uh-Activity.**


	11. Blip

**11 - BLIP**

* * *

 **Warning:** There's a cliff(hanger) at the end of this chapter. To stop at safe zone, when you spot the word 'Relax', please do not read further. Got an adventurous soul? Go all the way! I'll be dangling on the edge!

* * *

" _Pacing is meditative_ _..._ my ass," Harvey muttered under his breath. Whoever came up with that idiotic concept obviously never had to _almost date_ a best friend. For thirty minutes or so, Harvey had tried to attain some peace of mind only to find his feet _pacing_ themselves into _Anxietyville_.

He was Harvey Specter, who had a way with women. Why couldn't he get it together for this particular one? The reason was simple. There was no _copy-and-paste_ function he could - or was willing to - use from his playbook. With Donna, he'd suddenly turned into a novice all over again. Calming his nerves, Harvey raised a hand to knock on her bedroom door.

"Donna, you ready? Ray's waiting downstairs."

"Be right out!"

When she finally appeared, Harvey's turbo-powered cognitive functions could only perform a single task: _Gawk-at-Donna._

Her dazzling eyes, accentuated by long lashes, shone with life. The highly anticipated Davy's gray dress graciously flowed across one shoulder and hugged her body to perfection. With vibrant red curls highlighting her sensual lips, Donna was a sight of fiery beauty.

"Harvey, if you're going to uselessly stand there and stare-"

"You look amazing."

"I know." She nodded, and he couldn't stop himself from smiling at her trademark confidence. "You don't look too bad yourself. And I'm impressed! You managed to get the tie color correct too! Come here, Harvey."

Spellbound, his feet obediently took him to her. Donna tip-toed to get a better look at his jaw. "Thank God, the bruise is fading. Does it still hurt?"

Distracted by the alluring scent of her perfume, he answered in foreign language: _Grunt-ish._ "Krrr." His own ears picked up the weird sound he'd uttered, and it effectively smacked some sense back into him. "I mean, no."

She soothingly brushed a finger over the bruise before moving down to straighten his tie. For years, these little gestures - fixing his tie, fastening his cufflinks, smoothing out his cowlicks - had become an essential part of Harvey's life. Never once had every tug and pull felt so intimately consuming like it did now. It was an overwhelming realization of how he'd taken so much of Donna's thoughtfulness for granted.

He thrusted the box in his hand forward. "A gift."

"For me?"

"No. I like to show off boxes to redheads as a hobby," Harvey drawled, scoring a small chuckle from her.

"I know you're a movie junkie, but I swear if you're re-enacting _Pretty Woman_ , I _will_ thump you on the head," Donna teased. "It's too bad you're not _Edward Lewis_."

He hadn't planned for it, but she was right. It did look like a rip-off scene from the movie. But Harvey was certain that he was better than some fictional businessman _._ At the very least, this lawyer was... _tangible._ Real, breathing, and standing right in front of her. He was also holding a gift that she still hadn't accepted. Harvey objected, "Donna! It's a present. Just take it already!"

She eyed him skeptically before taking the box. As soon as she opened it, her shoulders stiffened and her entire body went motionless. On behalf of the _Statue of Paulsen_ , Harvey retrieved the white-gold charm bracelet and cast the box aside.

"No _bulls_ this time," Harvey said, referring to her infamous _bullfighting_ bracelet.

He'd ordered the piece shortly after Louis's case - because for one, Harvey hadn't been too thrilled about being the bull. Work had also recently been so dull that the redhead seemed to occupy his every thought. Mostly, he just wanted to do something nice for Donna, and tonight's occasion presented a great opportunity.

 _Cliché? Yes._

 _Nervous? Beyond imagination._

 _Anxiety level on a scale from one to five? Eighty-four._

Donna was the guru of gifting while Harvey's default style was to go for the most expensive item he could find. For that reason, she'd once scolded him for buying a $12,000 bottle of scotch, labeling his present as 'generic'. Knowing how Donna placed great value in personal details, a specific kitchen tool had come to mind for a charm design. Harvey could still vividly recall the peculiar look he'd earned from the jeweler at the mention of a 'can opener'.

—

 _"A can opener? You say, this is…for a lady. Correct?" the jeweler asked, his Italian accent amplified with bafflement. Harvey didn't blame the artisan's need for confirmation. What intelligent man would request a 'can opener' for a charm? As a romantic token, too._

 _"Yes," Harvey said. "Can you make it? I can send pictures if it helps."_

 _"It's not a problem. I can make anything you want. But only bartenders and alcoholics will appreciate...a can opener, no?" the other man insisted, undoubtedly still worried for Harvey's sanity. "Are you sure you don't want a butterfly, a rose, or a heart? Women like 'pretty' designs."_

Butterflies and roses for Donna? _Sure, if he wanted to commit gifting suicide. Harvey appropriately filtered his response. "No. She'll think it's too...common."_

 _The jeweler finally conceded and smiled. "Okay. You know best, Signor Specter. But your lady…she is...unconventional, I must say."_

My lady. _Harvey liked the sound of it. "Yes. She's definitely one of a kind."_

 _—_

Willing his fingers to remain steady, Harvey circled the band around Donna's wrist before clasping the lock.

"There. Custom made for the world's one and only COO - _Can Opener Officer_." He ended his little speech with a smile only to find Donna studying the bracelet in silence. When his thumb hovered over her wrist, he felt her racing pulse. Lowering his head, he tried to catch her eyes. "You…uh...don't like it?"

Donna _de-statued_ at his direct inquiry. "I do. I really do. But I can't accept this. It is too-"

" _Late!_ We're going to be late," he cut in and nudged her towards the front door. He had no interest in starting a debate on value and worth. Not when she deserved it all. _Everything. Anything._

* * *

Half the city's executives decided to show up at the fundraiser, making it impossible to avoid familiar faces. With so many PSL clients in attendance, Harvey was forced to operate in _named partner mode_ as he mingled, clinked glasses, and engaged in small talks _._ To spare Donna the misery, he'd asked her to explore the exhibition without him. Needless to say, Harvey was greatly relieved when they announced that the stage performance was about to begin. If it weren't for mature, judgmental adults surrounding him, the prospect of seeing Donna again was enough to make Harvey take off in a jolly sprint. From a distance, he spotted her by the theater's entrance.

"Did you have fun?" she asked, knowing full well that he'd spent the past hour hiding tears of social agony.

"Why, of course. My mind is still waving celebratory pom-poms," Harvey said dryly. Her lips curved upwards into a radiant smile, one so riveting that he simply couldn't look away. She'd been fiercely exquisite before. Softened by the gentle glow of the moonlight, Donna was incredibly lovely. The lingering stares of the male guests walking by only confirmed Harvey's assessment. "Judging by the number of heads you've turned tonight, you're easily the most beautiful woman here. I never should have left your side. I get jealous when other men stare, you know?"

Donna rolled her eyes. "Such nonsense."

Harvey paused at her deflection, his jaw hardening. "You never think I'm serious."

"Because you usually aren't. Not when it's about…" Donna's voice faded when the announcement boomed through the speakers once more. "Let's go, Harvey. The performance is starting."

 _What had she planned to say? About_ _feelings? About her?_

Though bothered by Donna's poor perception of him, Harvey directed her forward anyway. The night was young, and he wasn't about to let _'never serious'_ ruin it.

* * *

While Donna watched the performance with absolute devotion, Harvey _watched_ her instead. He observed every emotion that played through her features with utmost intrigue. Only when the curtain call began did Harvey turn his attention towards the stage. And for the first time all evening, he took a good look at the lead actress. With an impressive high voice and a sophisticated air about her, he could see why the actress was Donna's theatrical idol. But _remarkable,_ as Louis had described her? _Maybe not._

"And finally, let us welcome Ashley Vale onto the stage," the emcee announced.

Harvey blinked, wondering why the actress was being re-announced.

Amidst a standing ovation, the exceptionally blonde lead _actor_ \- who Harvey had ignored all performance - took center stage.

As realization dawned on him, Harvey cursed inwardly. _Goddamn, holy shit of all hell!_ _Ashley is a M.A.N. with facial hair and all!_

Harvey's mind ran through the long list of profanities he'd collected over his forty plus years of _'Ashley-is-a-woman's-name_ _'_ life, trying to reconcile reality with his misassumptions. In truth, Ashley was really a gender neutral name; it even belonged to one of the lead male characters in a Gable classic. Harvey berated himself for missing that detail.

 _Movie buff? Fail._

All this time, Harvey had unknowingly been strategizing a plan to throw Donna into the arms of a very dashing actor. He hadn't even thought to check when the organizer called to confirm the surprise arrangement. Suddenly, in a sardonic twist, the gender-swap made Ashley Vale...very _remarkable._

Meanwhile, the emcee's chirpy speech continued to ruin Harvey's life with harsh reality.

"This year, we're awarding our highest donor an exclusive backstage pass to party with Ashley Vale. The Aid-a-Friend Foundation would like to thank Pearson Specter Litt for making a generous donation. I've been instructed to specifically grant this privilege to a...Ms. Donna Paulsen."

Said confused _Ms. Donna Paulsen_ abruptly turned towards an equally stunned Mr. Harvey Specter. "Did he just say my name?"

Between Donna and him, Harvey didn't know who should win the 'so-freakin'-shocked' contest. He also never had a chance to explain.

"Ms. Donna Paulsen, can you please come onto the stage?" the emcee prompted.

Donna slowly rose from her seat, the spotlight immediately finding her. The crowd's applause erupted once more when a staff member came forward to assist her.

"Harvey?"

As she passed him, he stood and forced a smile. "Go on. Have fun, Donna."

Harvey watched her interact with the handsome lead on stage. Though shy, she also seemed genuinely in awe and happy. And so, he tried - _very hard_ \- to hold on to that positive outcome as he excused himself from the audience. He could certainly use some _unremarkable_ air - better known as breathable oxygen _._

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Harvey found himself sitting alone by a water fountain - far away from the noisy crowd. There, he let his mind wander and morbidly noted that if it weren't for bad luck, he'd have none at all. In a trance-like state, he heard himself say, "You probably think I'm a fool too, don't _you_?"

 _You._ The water fountain _._

For heaven's sake, the _Untouchable Harvey Specter_ \- albeit, self-titled - had been reduced to conversing with inanimate garden decorations. Perhaps it was the shock doing the talking. Or his unspoken frustrations. Whatever the cause, Harvey was relieved that no one had been around to overhear his idiocy. He couldn't be more wrong.

A familiar voice intruded his musings. "Were you just talking to the fountain?"

Harvey jumped to his feet, his face flushing with heat. "Jessica! I was uh-"

She shrugged to dismiss his about-to-be-made-up excuse. "Actually, I prefer not to know. Mind if I join you?"

Wearing an elegant black dress and a pair of killer heels, his mentor proved once again that she could be equally formidable in an evening gown. She waved for Harvey to sit before taking the seat beside him. "So you chose this fundraiser over the Harvard reunion?"

"Hmph."

Jessica's brows rose at his non-answer. "Harvey Reginald Specter. I've always suspected that you have hidden depths behind that mask you wear. You _do_ have a heart. And now, we know that you have the capacity to _care_ for children."

"I don't _just_ practice law for _money_." Harvey crossed his legs and paused for a dramatic build up. "I practice law for... _an obscene amount of money_. As you can see, Jessica, you're wrong. I'm still as shallow as a baking pan. I'm only here to flaunt my expensive tux."

"You and your smart mouth." She shook her head, a soft chuckle escaping her. "I'll be sure to update our credential deck with 'Expert in Denial' under your qualifications."

He beamed back, grateful for the unexpected company. If it weren't for Jessica, he'd still be brooding over his moronic mistake. "What are you doing here? I thought you said you weren't-"

"Free? Imagine my surprise when the organizer called to thank the firm for making such a _big_ donation. And by 'big', I mean they had one of their board members personally deliver a VIP invitation to me." She bumped her shoulder to his. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

He hadn't thought to run the decision by the managing partners since the donation had been funded out of his own pocket.

"Harvey, have you told _her?_ " There were traces of humor dancing in Jessica's eyes. Her gaze locked awhile on his jawline, where the bruise had faded into a yellow-grayish one. Then, she raised them to meet his eyes in a direct stare.

She knew. About the donation. About Donna. Maybe about everything else, too. And she also knew that he knew that she knew. His thoughts were so jumbled up that he didn't even bother to fabricate a story.

"No, I haven't told _her_ ," Harvey answered in earnest. "I don't know ho-"

Hearing footfalls clicking against hard concrete, they both turned to see _'subject: her'_ walking towards them.

Pleasantly surprised to see who Harvey was with, Donna greeted, "Jessica! You came!"

"Donna! You look wonderful! Thank you for coming on my behalf. My schedule freed up at the last minute, so here I am." Jessica glanced at Harvey. "After all, _we_ did make such a _generous_ donation."

He quickly cleared his throat and chimed in, "Yes. _We_ did. To _Aid-a-Friend._ "

By 'we', Harvey meant 'me'. _Trivial semantics._ He was also cryptically asking his mentor to _aid a friend_ named _Specter_.

Jessica's lips thinned, as if considering whether to expose him or not. Mind made up, she initiated a new topic to discuss with Donna. Harvey sighed in relief, knowing his secret was safe for the time being.

After exchanging a few more words, Jessica bid them goodbye. Before leaving, she gave Harvey one of her knowing smiles and mouthed, _"Tell her."_

* * *

"Donna, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be partying with _Blondie Vale_." Harvey kept his tone light as he glanced at his watch. "It's been less than half an hour. He can't possibly be that _remarkably_ boring."

"Harvey, I know."

"You know ' _what'_ exactly?"

"The exclusive meet with Ashley. The donation. You did it personally for me, didn't you? All because I got excited when you mentioned his name," Donna elaborated.

So much for his secrecy. If anything, this was more proof that he'd make a poor CIA operative.

Harvey tugged at his collar and said the only thing that came to mind, "In my defense...I didn't know Ashley was a _he._ "

Donna cracked up at his flimsy ' _defense'_ , her positivity instantly transforming Harvey's frown into a fool's grin. She'd always wielded that power over him. Her ability to make him lighter. _Better_.

"Thank you, Harvey. It meant a lot to me."

He wore an encouraging grin. "You should go back to the party." There was no need for the both of them to have a bad night. He could man the _Ship of Shit Happens_ alone. After all, he was getting pretty good at it. Most importantly, he sincerely wanted her to enjoy herself. "Go, Donna. I mean it."

Faint jazz music drifted through the air, floating in continuous rifts from where the band was playing on the stage.

"Harvey, would you like to dance?"

He blinked at the _three-sixty_ conversational detour. When he regained his senses, he shook his head.

"Why? I thought you liked dancing," Donna asked curiously.

"I do." He really did. To certain genres and beats. "I just don't think I should dance to... _this_."

"This?"

Harvey lifted his shoulders in an uncomfortable shrug. He didn't want to reveal his 'flaw' - a nuisance that he'd deliberately kept from acquaintances for decades. Tonight, however, he knew that there was no evading.

"Donna, trust me on this. I'm only considering your well-being by saying no." When she didn't budge, he sighed, "It's like...I have two left feet when it comes to dancing with a partner."

The silence that brewed between them was so mocking that Harvey wished he could turn into a mole and dig his way out of there. Since he wasn't a mole, Harvey settled for loosening his tie to breathe more easily.

"How is that even possible? I've seen you dance! You have a mean groove!"

It was exactly what he wanted everyone to see. Donna, too.

"Think, Donna. When have you ever seen me _slow dance_ to anything? Or with anyone?"

The only thing he'd ever slow danced to was this perplexing relationship with Donna.

The moment she recognized the truth in his words, she nodded with new enlightenment. Thankfully, he discerned no pity in her eyes. Only understanding. Yet, the stubborn woman still wouldn't let him off the hook.

"But I love this song! I promise I won't let you fall, Harvey. I'll be your _two right_ _feet_ ," she said, stepping forward.

Yes, she had always complemented him in ways that made him whole. Even after learning that he couldn't slow dance, she was generously offering to be his _two right feet_. Harvey caught himself smiling at the idea. When she placed one hand on his shoulder, he involuntarily tensed, eliciting another giggle from her. "I've got you. Now, be a gentleman and give me your hand."

It was humanly impossible to refuse Donna anything. He could only thank the stars that there was no one around to witness his clumsiness. Except maybe for the water fountain, which Harvey hoped was secretly rooting for him.

"Just so we're clear, I'm leading," Harvey said, trying hard to keep his jitters contained. He took a deep breath and covered her hand with his. Sliding an arm around her waist, he tugged her closer. When they began to sway to the music, her fingers rhythmically tapped against his shoulder.

Donna was a talented dancer, her movements smooth and fluid. In contrast, he was as skilled and as flexible as a wood plank, and it took all his concentration not to fumble the steps.

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "You're doing great, Harvey. Relax!"

 *****[A/N: end of safe zone]*****

* * *

With each passing measure, Harvey became more acquainted. _More confident._ Who knew Donna's _two right feet_ could have such a magical effect on him?

He twirled her on a gliding turn, and the motion drew an unexpected laugh from her. It sounded so heartily infectious that it melted Harvey's world away. In his arms, she looked so carefree, so alive, and it was so easy to lose himself in her. _Too easy._

 _He did._ Then, a case of _two left feet_ happened.

He staggered in the wrong direction and crudely stepped on her toes. She folded forward, clutching Harvey's hand in a death grip. He quickly pulled Donna flush against him, carrying her weight on his arms.

If humiliation could end a life, Harvey thought he would flop onto the ground that instant.

"Donna, are you alright?"

 _No answer._ When she found a steadier balance, Donna loosened her hold but didn't move away. So close, Harvey could feel her heart beating against his chest. But apart from the frantic vibrations, the rest of her was too passive. Too static. His own mortification forgotten, a new wave of concern washed over.

Harvey asked again, "Are you alright?"

Donna lifted her chin, her sight fixed on his mouth and very slowly, they rose to meet his eyes. He was still trying to make sense of everything when instead of words, Donna answered by taking his face in her hands. Harvey was transfixed by the contact, afraid his mind was conjuring it up. He couldn't move. Mostly, because he didn't dare.

Harvey drew in a steadying breath and waited. _Mutely hoping. Quietly_ _gauging_ _._

When her fingers stroked down his jaw, he inched forward. Ignoring the chaotic pulse roaring in his ears, Harvey mustered all the courage he could find and touched his lips to hers.

A shy touch. An involuntary quiver. Then, she went utterly still. Had he misread her?

"Donna, if you want me to stop...," he whispered against her lips.

He didn't want to stop. _Please. Not yet._

As if woken by his voice, Donna gradually came alive and began to kiss him back. Her lips moved against his, caressing tenderly. Cautiously, even. The kiss was undemanding, honest, and pure, and Harvey matched it with the same level of gentleness. One of her hands moved to cradle his nape, her fingers raking through his hair. When her nails grazed against his scalp, Harvey suppressed a groan and pulled her body more snugly against his. She responded right away, tilting her head up as she delicately framed his cheeks with her palms. A pleasurable sting fired through his nerves when she softly bit his bottom lip. He took it as permission to deepen the kiss and teased more boldly, coaxing her mouth to open with his tongue. Donna gasped at his playful touch and her fingers glided down to rest against his jaws. When she parted her lips, he delved in and savored her heavenly warmth. She tasted like cherry and champagne, sweet and intoxicating all at once. He'd imagined what kissing her again would be like, but nothing had prepared him for the intensity that was rapidly spinning him out of control.

Without warning, Donna veered her mouth sideways and broke their kiss. She slammed her eyes shut, her shoulders quaking in short shudders. Catching his own ragged breath, Harvey took in her swollen lips and flushed cheeks, now tinged with an adorable shade of pink. He wanted nothing more than to pull her back into his embrace, but when Donna's eyes fluttered open, his hope flailed even before she spoke.

"We can't." With two syllables, she was taking everything back.

He'd never realized how it was possible for a person to hate words or phrases until now. In a flash, _'We can't'_ became Harvey's most abhorred utterance in the English language.

"No." His voice was unusually hoarse and foreign to his own ears.

"Harvey, we can't."

Donna was emotionally withdrawing away, her eyes anchored to a spot on the lawn. He found himself sadly competing against ' _grass_ ' for her attention. It was quite a sobering insight.

"Donna, please look at me."

When she didn't react, he reached out to engulf her hands in his. They were trembling. _Unyielding_. The bracelet he'd gifted her earlier was cold, the charm cutting against his palm. It ironically alluded to how they were - Harvey wanting to hold on, but everything about her was shutting him out.

"We can't," Donna repeated for the third time, still averting her eyes.

 _Rules. Goddamn rules_. He wanted to break every one of them, but his gallant side reined his emotions in. He couldn't lash out when she was looking so distant. _And wretched._ Keeping her hands in his, he edged a few inches back and tamed his own impulses to rebel.

Before he could put words together, Donna forcefully disentangled from him and began to walk away. Harvey would have let her go too, if he believed that she was indifferent.

"You're right, Donna," he all but bit out, his gruff delivery causing her to freeze mid-step. In three long strides, Harvey moved to stand across her once more. He consciously fought to keep his voice composed. "We can't."

"So, we're in agreement," Donna said with a frown, finally making eye contact.

"That's not what I meant." Harvey gently ran a thumb along the crease of her mouth. _Her very kissable lips._

"What, then?" She was blinking back tears, determined not to let him see them fall.

Holding her gaze, he tucked a loose curl behind her ear and traced a mindful path down to her neck with his finger. Perhaps he'd hate himself for it later, but for the life of him, Harvey couldn't bring himself to stop.

"We can't keeping going on like this. Because I can't. Not any longer."

"Harvey?"

 _A heart wrenching whisper._

He could barely manage a smile for her, knowing everything between them was about to change.

"I'm sorry, Donna. But I'm done pretending there's nothing more between us."

* * *

 **A/N: Hello, brave** **reader. You've made it to the hang-zone.** **Please hate me only a l** **ittle for that ending. No excuses, really. I'm still working on the next part!** **(*awkward smile) Appreciate your every read and review.**

 ***Two left feet?** Yes! This Harvey secretly can't slow dance, Donna walks away, and the water fountain totally ships them.


	12. Rhapsody in D

**12 - RHAPSODY IN D**

* * *

 _"I'm sorry, Donna. But I'm done pretending there's nothing more between us."_

* * *

 **I. CHAOS OF THE ROUGE**

* * *

"We _need_ to." Donna's expression was one of practiced stoicism, but Harvey detected traces of distress. Her jaws were set, her lips pulled tight at the corners. At least, she hadn't denied that there was ' _more'_ between them, and he held on to that glimmer of hope.

" _Need_?" Harvey sought to break the barriers she'd put up. "Are we still talking about rules?"

God, he was a wreck. Words were spilling out, his patience wearing thin. Harvey quickly looked away, not wanting to scare her. Taking deep breaths, he quelled the wave of anger inside him. He wasn't truly mad at Donna. He was more frustrated with himself, wondering how they'd gone from two happy event attendees to this turbulent situation.

Facing Donna once more, he found her eyes piercing into his. She shook her head once and said, "You don't get it, do you?"

Overwhelmed, he didn't know what to address. The quiver in her voice. The tears that she no longer hid. Or her shoulders that shook with emotions he couldn't pinpoint.

"I can't lose you, Harvey."

He stared at Donna with his mouth agape. It was official. His tombstone would feature his lifetime achievement as ' _Could_ _Never Understand Women_ '. If postscripts were allowed, he'd also include a line below: ' _Especially one particular redhead_ '.

Had he not just kissed her? Had he not just - _sort of_ \- suggested that he wanted more with her? How did they get from ' _moving forward'_ to Donna thinking that she was losing him? Nothing made sense. Perhaps before he had his custom tombstone made, he needed to order a new brain first. Maybe Mike could help him find one online.

Suddenly, it was whirling. _His vision. All his senses_. For a short while, there was nothing he could do except let the dizziness snake through him. Robbed of intelligence, Harvey had no idea how to proceed.

He managed one word. "Donna."

In a flash, she rushed forward and began tugging his tie off. Operating on a dumbstruck mind, he shot a hand out to still her. Harvey's gaze collided with hers only to find eyes marred with terror. This was not an act of passion.

"You're bleeding!"

Harvey looked down at his shirt to find streaks of red staining the white. "What the hell-?"

Donna guided him to sit by the fountain. Dabbing the tie against his nose, she tried to staunch the blood. "Harvey, does it hurt anywhere?"

"No," he answered, tilting his head up. When he felt her palms against his body, he involuntarily jerked. Through half-closed lids, Harvey caught her frayed movements. Seeing her so agitated, he muttered the only thing that he could think of, "Are you taking advantage of me? Not that I'm complaining but-"

"Hold still. I'm calling Ray. We're going to the hospital," Donna explained as she retrieved his phone from inside his jacket.

"What? It's just a goddamn nosebleed," Harvey objected.

 _Uselessly, of course._

* * *

"I can't believe I let you talk me into coming to the ER for a stupid nosebleed," Harvey grumbled, pressing a piece of cloth against said delicate nose. The bleeding had slowed to an occasional drip, and he wasn't too thrilled about sitting here amongst a crowd of broken bones and open wounds. Surrounded by the severity, his condition seemed so forgettable. So minor.

" _Stupid_? I'll not debate that the owner of the nose might be. It could be a brain hemorrhage," Donna insisted. He was rather amused at being called ' _stupid_ '. It was the closest thing to bantering since their earth-shattering 'we-can't' conversation. Nursing a bloody nose, Harvey found that he preferred the company of a _sharp-tongued_ Donna over an _anxious_ Donna.

"Did you earn your degree from the University of Medical Drama? Where is your fictitious practice, Dr. Paulsen? Neverland?"

"I'm serious. When Mitchell hit you, it could have left you with a head injury. These things happen all the time." At Harvey's discerning glare, she had the decency to blush and admit, "… _on the show_." And then, she went on like she was a certified doctor herself, "Nosebleeds could be a sign of intracranial bleeding, cerebral aneurysms, hypertension-"

"Stop, Donna. Even if I hadn't suffered from those ' _very smart sounding words you recall from TV_ ' before, my vessels are ready to burst right about now." He was, however, also secretly impressed by what she remembered. "I thought you watch those shows for the good-looking doctors." One afternoon, the woman had even lectured him on the different _Mc-Doctor names_ that had nothing to do with burgers.

"It's an added bonus that they make 'medical knowledge' so easy to learn," Donna said with a weak grin - one that couldn't conceal her concerns _._

"Mr. Harvey Specter?"

"Over here." Donna waved towards the young female doctor calling his name.

"I'm Dr. Thompson," the woman introduced herself before checking Harvey's stats. "How did you get that bruise on your jaw, Mr. Specter?"

Donna visibly tensed, and Harvey remembered to keep his answers generic. _No drunk ex-boyfriends._ "I…uh…got into a fight a few days ago."

The doctor nodded, objectively asking about the punch and any irregular symptoms he'd experienced after the incident. Scribbling on her notepad, she inquired further, "Can you tell me what happened before the bleeding started tonight? What were you doing?"

"We were..." _dancing, kissing, arguing_ " _..._ talking," Harvey amended for Donna's sake. The doctor proceeded to learn about his medical history, lifestyle habits, and the stress level at work.

"Dr. Thompson, can you please just confirm that it's a non-life threatening nosebleed so I can leave?" Harvey requested, needing Donna to hear the diagnose from a _real_ doctor for her peace of mind.

"Actually, I would like to take an MRI scan, Mr. Specter." Harvey went stock-still. "I don't mean to alarm you. It could be nothing, but I've had patients who suffered delayed internal bleeding from overlooked head traumas." Donna shot him a look that was a cross between _'I-told-you-so'_ and _'I'm-going-to-faint'_. Over their silent exchange, the doctor ended her speech with a medical _pick-me-up -_ if such a thing existed. "Although rare, it could also be your body's reaction to the stress you've endured lately. I want to make sure we rule out every possibility."

Donna hastily agreed on Harvey's behalf, and with a nod, the doctor handed out instructions to an intern.

It was going to be a long, long night.

* * *

 _3 A.M._ The queue, the scan, the result, the reading. By the time Harvey went through the entire ordeal, every cell in his body was ready to pass out. And all to discover that there was nothing fatal about his condition. _Questionable intelligence? Yes. Internal brain bleeding? No_. It was likely a physical reaction to the recent accumulated stress. He thanked the doctor for her time and went to collect Donna.

The waiting area was empty, save for his favorite redhead dozing off on the couch. Harvey considered briefly whether to wake her. It had been an impossible night for the both of them, and if she was as exhausted as he was, she could use the rest. Harvey decided that he, too, could use a bit of peace himself. Sitting next to Donna, he studied her sleeping form. Before he could stop himself, Harvey grazed her frowning lips with his thumb to ease the tension away. She stirred at his touch, and then, her features softened. Head rolled to the side, her neck was strained at an uncomfortable degree. Yet, in such a state, she remained asleep. A private smile hovered over Harvey's mouth. She really was amazing, mastering even the talent of ' _I-can-sleep-at-any-awkward-angle_ '. As adorable as she was, Donna would suffer a nasty crick tomorrow if he let it go on. Harvey leveled his body to hers and lightly nudged Donna's head against his shoulder.

Instinctively, she snuggled closer, and he reveled at how right it felt. Donna could deny all she wanted - with words, with her conscious diversions. The truth was, they were helplessly drawn to each other. When caught off guard, Donna's feelings for him were clear. If only he could get her to-

"Everything okay?" Donna asked, her sleepy voice cutting his mental ramblings short. She scooted away and blinked at him.

"Yes," Harvey answered. "I'm perfectly fine."

A heavy silence stretched between them and then, out of nowhere, she swatted his arm.

'Ow! I may not be bleeding in the brain, but I'm still a patient in this sacred ground of _'First, Do No Harm_ _'_ _._ " At his objection, Donna continued to stare at him, seemingly unable to decide how to feel. "What, Donna? No comeback this time?"

She settled for a shrug. "You make a living out of arguing."

 _But with me, you win every time,_ Harvey thought.

He gave her a wide grin - _a special Specter edition with added arrogance._ All because he'd rather see her annoyed than looking sullen.

Donna narrowed her eyes at the smugness. "It's a good thing that we're in the hospital. I'm sure they'll have means to keep you alive if I _do_ decide to hurt you for _over-smirking._ "

"They teach you that at the University of Medical Drama too? ' _O_ _ver-smirking'_?"

She ignored his jest. "Harvey Specter. Don't you dare scare me like that ever again!"

In actuality, there were scarier things occupying his mind - such as, Donna refusing to acknowledge what had happened before his pathetic nose got in the way. Seeing how tired they both were, he held those words back.

"I'll be sure to deploy _the Donna decree_ to all my organs," he reassured with a wink.

* * *

 **II. IF STRANGERS MEET**

* * *

His imagined ' _scarier things_ ' inevitably came true. The next day, Donna left the apartment before he woke and returned only after he went to bed. Every time he called her, she responded with short functional answers. On Monday morning, she left him a message saying that she'd gone to the office to attend to urgent matters.

 _More like avoid a specific matter: Him._

The routine went on for days. Donna's _denial_ mechanism involved plenty of ignoring Harvey in the process. She spent time with him only on a need-basis – handing him documents to sign or going over meeting schedules. They made separate trips to work and back with Donna alternating excuses between having dinner with Rachel and needing to get files sorted out. Harvey patiently gave her the space she needed to come to terms with her feelings.

But it didn't mean that it wasn't driving him mad - the ' _not knowing_ ' what to do or say to her. By Sunday morning, the last shred of Harvey's tolerance dissipated, and he decided it was enough stalling.

Waking up earlier than usual, he visited Donna's preferred bistro to fetch them breakfast. For over an hour, he waited by the kitchen counter. When she finally appeared, Harvey jumped to his feet, causing her to stare at him wide-eyed. She glanced at her watch, likely wondering if she'd lost track of time - _because Weekend Harvey never woke up before 9 A.M._

"Good morning. And no, your watch isn't broken. It's really 7.30," Harvey casually greeted her. He held up a plate with her favorites. "Blueberry Danish or Chocolate Bear Claw?"

Donna stilled, and he anticipated the brush-off that was coming. "I can't, Harvey. Yoga class."

She was halfway to the front door when Harvey set the plate down and shuffled forward.

"Bullshit, Donna." She froze at his direct confrontation.

It had been a week - _an agonizingly slow week -_ since they'd spent any meaningful time together. Standing across Donna, Harvey took the chance to _really_ look at her. _Dark circles. Thinner form. Pallid cheeks._ She'd nonverbally demanded space, and he'd allowed it without thinking that 'granting Donna space' would mean her _not_ eating, sleeping, or taking care of herself.

Harvey shifted uneasily. "I'm sure you can spare a few minutes to talk. I deserve that much. Don't you think?"

She worried her bottom lips, carefully picking her next words. "Can we forget about what happened? I know I've been acting distant and I'm changing that now…but, can we go back to how it used to be?"

"Back to...?" Harvey trailed off. "How are we supposed to-?"

"I'm collecting the bet," Donna cut in.

"What?"

"You promised Mike that you'd do anything when you lost."

 _That paper toss bet where Mike had allowed her to name the consequence?_ Harvey shook his head. "You can't, Donna. Not about this."

"I _need_ us to go back to how it was before."

The glint in her eyes revealed that it wasn't up for discussion. She wasn't even going to explain herself.

Selfishly, Harvey pressed anyway, "Why-?"

As if she hadn't heard him, Donna continued, "I've never ever asked you for anything. This is me...asking you for one thing in thirteen years." Her voice cracked. " _Please_."

 _Thirteen years._ She'd given him thirteen years of her life. And though they'd never labeled what they had as anything, he could never deny that she'd always put him first. _Until now._

"Is that what you really want?" Harvey asked, scrubbing a hand tiredly down his face.

She nodded, visibly holding back tears. His vision blurred and his eyes burned as he turned away. Refusing to torment Donna any further, Harvey relented with his own nod. He loved her enough to give her anything she needed. All the same, it didn't mean he could stand there and not fall apart.

"Have some breakfast, anyway. Fake Yoga class is canceled for the day." He recognized the bitterness in his tone but couldn't help himself. Afraid that he'd do or say something he'd regret, he stalked out of the apartment without sparing Donna another glance. As soon as he closed the door, he leaned against it, taking support from the solid wood. Her muffled sobs drifted through the panel, twisting his gut. He squeezed his eyes shut, his earlier fury giving way to a need to console her.

Who was he kidding? He couldn't do it. He couldn't leave things like this.

* * *

Once calmer, Harvey opened the door just in time to see Donna slipping into her room.

He followed inside, halting her mid-stride when she caught his reflection in the mirror. With a shaky restlessness, she turned around. The sight of her tear-stained cheeks felt like a blow to his stomach. Forcibly relaxing his shoulders, he closed the distance to her.

Harvey gently wiped the tears away with his knuckles, relishing every feature on her face. This was probably the last time he'd get to do this without being whacked. He imagined the unlikely scenario of the redhead chasing him around the office, aiming to throw a stapler at his head.

"You're…scaring me, Harvey."

They both knew what she meant. She was terrified by the changes happening between them. She was afraid of what would become of them. He understood because he was just as scared.

Even so, Harvey wore a smile for Donna. "Do you know what I'm thinking right now?"

She shook her head.

"I'm thinking...unless the scarecrow look is in fashion, you might spook people out with your red puffy eyes at work tomorrow." His outlandish way of asking her to stop crying earned him a teary chuckle. For his next words, though, he failed miserably at wearing his usual pleasant mask. "I'm also thinking…I wish we were strangers who just met. Because then, maybe...I'd have a chance with you. And maybe you'd let me-" _love you_ "-be with you."

She wasn't ready to hear it, and he didn't want to bare his heart out only to have it completely ripped apart.

"Harvey, are we…"

He offered what she needed to hear. "We'll go on as before." He turned and walked away, pausing only when he reached the door. "And Donna? Pick something else for the bet."

This relationship - whatever they had - it was _sacred_ for him, and he'd not let a spontaneous bet taint it. With that, he left before Donna could see how much it pained him to say everything he _didn't_ want to say.

* * *

 **III. LOST AND FOUND**

* * *

The following Monday, when Mike asked if he could borrow Donna for the morning, Harvey agreed. Given how disastrous their confrontation had gone, he believed she'd be relieved to spend time away from him. Besides, Mike needed to finalize a legal contract with a recurring client who Donna knew well. It made both personal and business sense. While the pair went off to meet the client, Harvey tried to distract his mind with a 'favorite' pasttime: the joy of paperwork.

At 2 P.M., Mike strode into his office. "Where's Donna?"

"With you," Harvey answered, skimming through the file in his hands. He'd read the same page three times and comprehended... _nothing_.

"D-donna...didn't c-come b-back?" Mike sounded nervous. _Shit_. Harvey instantly dropped the document and glared at his mentee. The other man hurriedly added, "I tried calling, but her phone was off. I thought she came back without me."

"What the hell happened? I leave her with you for a morning, and she just disappeared?"

Harvey dialed Donna's number, his call automatically directed to voice mail. He couldn't help but imagine the worst. An accident. An injury. Donna leaving him. He paled at the last thought. No, she wouldn't do that to him.

Mike's voice intruded his miserable thoughts. "Donna excused herself from the meeting. A few minutes later, the fire alarm went off-"

Before Mike could say more, Harvey was already on his feet and storming out of the office. Ignoring the curious stares trained on him, he charged towards the elevator and pressed the down button repeatedly.

Mike caught up from behind, staying Harvey's frantic movements with a hand. "Wait! There was no fire. It was a false alarm that lasted for less than twenty minutes."

 _Twenty minutes? That_ was twenty minutes too long.

The elevator doors slid open and Harvey rushed in. "Mike, what floor?"

"Huh?"

"What floor was the meeting at?"

"Seventeenth."

"Cover for me." Mike nodded at Harvey's request, eyes still filled with confusion.

There was no time to explain. The thought of losing Donna was handicapping. The thought of her hurt was unbearable. The thought of her gone...he would never recover from it.

* * *

 _Seventeen. Goddamn. Floors_. The fire escape was stuffy, squeezing his chest like a vise he couldn't shake off. He sprinted through the first eight floors, jogged the next five, and had to slow down the rest of the way to catch his breath. All the while, he prayed that he wasn't wrong. _Please let Donna be here._ Because if she wasn't, Harvey didn't know where else to look for her.

He heaved a sigh of relief when he found her huddled by the corner of the eighteenth floor.

"Donna?"

She raised her head, her eyes revealing a hint of grief. A haunting quality that Harvey wished he could erase. Because he couldn't undo what had already happened, he hid his frown and tried to cheer her up instead. "Did you place an order for the _Harvey Special_? The address you gave was very vague, so it took forever to find you."

Donna was usually good at hiding her thoughts. And in his half-anxious, half-breathless state, he would never be able to read her properly. Since his deciphering skills proved completely useless, he stuck to his harmless delivery story.

"It's still _fresh and hot_ though _."_ He shrugged out of his jacket and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeves. "Literally. Dripping. Too." He paired his remark with a quirked brow, winning a faint smile from her. He sat down beside Donna, and for long moments, they drew strength from each other's presence.

"Harvey?"

"Hmm?"

"I didn't mean to skip work."

"It doesn't matter."

"The fire alarm-"

"I know." He didn't need her to relive it all over again.

"The loudness. People running. It...transported me back," Donna said, her voice trembling.

Harvey reached over to cover her hands with his. "You don't need to explain anything."

He recalled how she'd entrusted him with this secret piece of her. A week before their first scheduled fire drill at the firm, Donna had asked Harvey if she could be excused from it. When he'd probed for a reason, she'd shared the tragedy that changed her for life. She was thirteen when her house burned down in an accident. The merciless fire also took her grandmother with it, forcing Donna to deal with post-traumatic stress for years. Growing up, she hadn't been permanently impaired by it. But sometimes, a specific visual or sound could still trigger it. Ever since, Donna had avoided the drills - a decision that Harvey whole-heartedly supported. And in the off-chance that an alarm went off outside the firm, Harvey would move to stand beside Donna to distract her. If Mike had known, the kid never would have left her.

"But I couldn't control myself. I didn't know what I was doing-"

"Stop. Please stop." Harvey tightened his grip on her shaking hands and suddenly, she burst into laughter.

"I'm sorry, Harvey. I don't even know why I'm laughing. This is obviously not funny."

He knew why. _Aftershock_.

"Come here." Harvey gathered Donna onto his lap and held her firmly against him. It was a testament to how fragile she was that she hadn't even bothered to fight him. "It's over. I won't let anything happen to you."

"You and your unbelievable God complex. Why do you always need to save the day, Anti-Trauma Man?"

"That's a horrible superhero name. I sound like a medical equipment or a cheap vaccine." A nervous giggle escaped from her lips as she continued to shiver. When the shock wore off, Harvey pulled Donna onto her feet. That was when he spotted her broken phone on the floor. He picked up the parts and pocketed them in his pants.

"Let's go home, Donna."

* * *

As soon as they entered the apartment, Donna functioned on a daze. After showering, she joined him in the living room but barely said a word. At dinner, she didn't eat much either. While Harvey cleared the plates, she sat on the couch and watched an old sitcom in silence. And though sometimes he caught her smiling at the lines, she was not the same spirited woman he knew.

"Harvey, I'm not going to break," Donna muttered, not taking her eyes away from the screen. Belatedly, he realized that he'd been staring at her for hours, afraid that she was going to crumble. He took her words as a cue to leave her alone for awhile.

It was almost midnight when he knocked on Donna's room to check on her.

"Come in."

When Harvey opened the door and ambled in, she chuckled. It was a wonderful relief to hear her laugh again.

"You're wearing _the_ Spongebob T-Shirt," Donna pointed out, recognizing the gift that she'd bought him as a joke.

"There's never a good occasion for this shirt, is there?" Harvey asked. Undoubtedly, he looked absurd in the shirt because Harvey Specter, the ' _I-never-lose-a-case_ ' lawyer would never be caught dead wearing bright yellow... _anything_.

Harvey sat on the edge of her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Like my body and mind have come apart," Donna mumbled. "I'm sorry you had to see me like that. God, I'm such a mess."

 _A mess?_ It was the last word he'd used to describe her. She was beautiful, loyal, and fierce, and the only woman who could make him drop to his knees. _Naturally_ , he asked, "Can I get _'such-a-mess'_ anything to make her feel better?"

Donna smiled, shaking her head. He switched off the lamp and was about to leave when she caught his wrist. Even without words, Harvey understood what she couldn't say. She didn't wish to be alone tonight. It wasn't about romance. It wasn't about intimacy. It was comfort she was seeking and after such an emotional week, he didn't want to be where she wasn't either.

"Scoot over."

Donna moved to the side of the bed, facing away as Harvey flopped down and propped his head against the pillow.

Minutes later, sleep was still eluding the both of them.

"Donna, why are you _not_ sleeping?"

She sighed, "Before you interrupted, I'd finished recalling every annoying cousin on my mom's side and was about to move on to Louis's puppets."

 _Amazing_. Even the mundane ' _counting sheeps_ ' trick could evolve into an advanced form of counting cousins and puppets with Donna. _Wait, puppets?_

Harvey grumbled, "I _really_ didn't need to know about Louis's puppets." It was one thing to speculate that his co-managing partner played with dolls. Having it confirmed brought on a whole new level of undeniable horror. And just when he thought he'd hit rock bottom, _horrifying_ became _more_ _horrifying_.

"Since we're already on that topic, did you know that Louis has one named after you? It's even got spiky hair-"

" _Oh hell..._ I'm going to have nightmares."

Donna chuckled at his complaint. A pause later, she said quietly, "I thought I'd lost you…after what happened. Thank you for finding me." It sounded so forlorn that it shook him to the bones. Without thought, Harvey pulled Donna back against him and draped an arm around her shoulder. He might never understand the fear she'd gone through, but he would make her feel safe - if only for a moment.

Donna tensed at his touch, and he was almost sure that she would push him away – like she did after their kiss. Unexpectedly, she turned to face him and inched closer until her cheek rest against his chest. Still, he didn't allow himself to read too much into it.

"Now, go to sleep." Harvey drew circles on her back as he listened for her breathing to slow.

When he was certain that she'd fallen asleep, he whispered in her ear, "I'll always find you, Donna. We'll be okay." He brushed a kiss against her hair and tightened his embrace. "We'll be okay."

* * *

 **A/N: Apologies for leaving you by the 'cliff' for so long. To everyone who read and reviewed: thank you so much (*grateful, as always).** **This chapter was slightly darker than usual - I hope you enjoyed it.** **Donna's** **thoughts will be revealed later in the story.**


	13. Pot Plans, Kettle Can

**13 - POT PLANS, KETTLE CAN**

* * *

 _*This chapter was written under the heavy influence of PJA's announcement_ _, a case of missing Mike-Harvey's brotherhood, and my la-la DNA._

 _*Still own nothing, except (maybe) the la-la DNA. Still Harvey's POV._

* * *

The first thing Harvey's blurry vision picked up was _red._ Eyes barely focused in the dim lights, his fuzzy mind processed the sight before him. Donna's head was resting on his shoulder - hair splayed across his chest, delicate fingers curled around his neck.

 _Another Donna dream._

It wasn't unusual that the woman who occupied most of his waking thoughts claimed his sleeping ones too. But even in a semi-disoriented state, Harvey noticed that this dream was different. Skin to skin, he sensed the warmth of her body. He detected hints of vanilla and cedar, her sweet scent mingling with his woody aftershave.

Unlike before, this dream was more vivid. More real.

Donna stretched sleepily, legs grazing his in a gentle caress. Nestled closer, her breaths tickled his jaw, sending shivers down his spine.

Then, it hit him. This wasn't a dream. He was _really_ in bed with Donna.

They were sleeping together - literally, in the purest sense. Cuddling, to be exact. Which was strange, because Harvey rarely cuddled. His past bed-bound _participants_ would readily testify that he wasn't _cuddly material_. It only led to messy entanglements, the idea enough to cause him mental dissonance. Seeking casual encounters without the clingy and demanding aftermaths _,_ he avoided cuddling as a norm.

With Donna in his arms, Harvey experienced none of the fear born from his need to stay uncommitted. On the contrary, he felt an utter sense of contentment. A desire to prolong the simple moment.

He blinked at the realization that for Donna, he'd voluntarily entangle himself into an emotional web. He'd become a member of the _cuddly_ species. Messy or not, Harvey found himself willing because _she_ was Donna - the only woman who could break down the walls he put up against the world.

Lost in thoughts, Harvey almost missed the sound of the doorbell. He was careful not to wake Donna as he untangled himself from her. But every time he moved away, she frowned and shifted closer, as if seeking comfort. As if afraid. The sight of Donna so insecure was heart-wrenching. Subconsciously, she still suffered the aftershocks - the day's false alarm, the childhood tragedy, and...

 _'I thought I'd lost you...'_

He'd forced Donna into a difficult position by confronting her and then, leaving with hardly reassuring words. When she'd felt most helpless, she hadn't dared to reach out to him. For that, Harvey only had himself to blame.

The doorbell rang once more, the tinny sound triggering him into motion. He covered Donna with a blanket, hid his weariness behind a stoic mask, and strode out to answer the door.

* * *

"Harvey." Wearing a suit at this ungodly hour, Mike packed a truckload of dark vibes into one single word. When his gaze drifted lower, the somber expression morphed into one of bewilderment. "Holy crap! Did Nickelodeon throw up on you? What's with the _fluorescent extraordinaire_ look?"

 _Goodbye respectability._

Caught wearing a bright-ass cartoon T-shirt, Harvey blushed. To salvage the _microscopic_ scraps of dignity left, he straightened and tried for _this-is-cool-as-shit_. Well, as cool as the ridiculous shirt allowed.

"Mike, it's 2 A.M. Civilized people are sleeping," Harvey drawled. Still, the junior partner's eyes were plastered on Mr. SpongeBob's goofy faceprint. Harvey raised his voice a notch. "For God's sake, if you love this shirt so much, I'll buy you one. Now, spit it out!"

"We have a case. Jessica couldn't reach you, so she sent me."

"Why can't it wait till morning?"

"It's McKernon Motors. Dominic specifically asked for you. Jessica also said to tell you it's a 2-9 situation."

Harvey sighed. "A hostile takeover."

 _McKernon Motors_. His career's first big client. A 2-9 situation was Jessica's code for 'we need a legal plan to stall it or the crisis will blow up once the stock market opens'. Harvey mumbled a silent ' _thanks_ ' to whomever was running the 'How to Make Specter's Life Exciting' department. _He, she, it, or they_ deserved a raise for working overtime to ensure his life was _ecstatic_.

"Harvey, you coming?"

"I'll change and meet you at the office."

 _As if he had a choice._ _But Donna..._

Mike intuitively caught on to Harvey's thoughts. "How is she?"

Since her traumatic experience wasn't his to tell, Harvey put forth a request instead. "Do you think Rachel can come and stay with Donna?"

"Sure. I'll give Rachel a call on my way."

"Thanks."

"And Harvey?"

"What?"

"This is too _awesome_ to pass up." Mike snapped a picture of _fluorescent extraordinaire Harvey_ with his phone before running out the door. With stealth skills that could shame a ninja, he vanished in a blink.

 _Damn it._ If the embarrassing photo ever leaked out, Harvey would be adding a priceless decor to the PSL office: glass windows with a Mike-shaped hole.

* * *

"Hi Harvey," Rachel greeted as she entered the apartment thirty minutes later.

"Thanks for coming. I'm sorry about the crazy hour."

Harvey didn't want Donna to wake up to an empty room. He hated the idea of leaving her, especially tonight. But it was McKernon Motors, and Jessica wouldn't have sent Mike if it wasn't critical.

"You know I'd do anything for Donna."

He thanked her anyway. "Rachel, I don't know how long the McKernon Motors mess will take to sort out. If you could help...I mean..."

He'd made a mental list of things he wanted Rachel to do in his absence - such as, to not leave Donna alone for too long, to tell her that he was reachable anytime, to make sure she ate _real_ food and not live off ice-cream, which the redhead tended to do when she was feeling down.

He tried again to reiterate the items. And failed again. God, he was so ill-equipped at this sort of talk.

Rachel kindly rescued Harvey from making a further ass of himself.

"Don't worry, Harvey. Leave Donna to me. And thank you."

"You're thanking me for making you sleep-deprived?"

"For taking care of Donna."

It was a straightforward message that carried _so much_ undertone. Rachel smiled, her eyes piercing into his, as if she could see through him - the latent thoughts and sentiments he was not ready to share with anyone _yet_. _Or ever._

"I'll…" Blessed with the conversation capacity of a jellyfish, Harvey closed his mouth. He pointed towards the exit and willed his feet to take him away. In all honesty, he wasn't just leaving. He was a coward, fleeing the knowing eyes of a very wise Miss Zane _._

* * *

For days, their lives were _possessed_ by the _Spirits of McKernon Motors_. While the managing partners practically lived in the office, Mike also suffered diabolic stress, helping them turn the crisis around with his photographic memory and out-of-the-box thinking. Fortunately, the McKernon Motors case was resolved within the week. The Specter-Paulsen case, on the other hand, was still in limbo.

Amidst the chaos, food and coffee kept miraculously appearing on Harvey's desk - in abundant amounts enough to feed several homeless families. It was no mystery that he had Donna to thank for it. But she'd also been busy, and save for a few texts, they'd barely spoken.

Every time he looked towards her desk, she was also never there.

Harvey was reading an affidavit when he sensed a familiar presence enter his office. Without looking, he greeted, "Hello, Donna. It's been awhile since I've seen you. Have you been out shopping?"

"Awww, is that your emotionally stunted way of saying you miss me? I miss you too, _honey_."

 _Goosebumps explosion! Nerves detonating all the way down to his pinky toes!_

The deep mannish voice obviously _did not_ belong to Donna. Harvey brought his gaze forward and was instantly transported into _bizarro_ world. The _thing_ staring back at him _was_ Donna. Except, she was made out of cardboard and appearing very 2D.

Mike stalked out from behind _cardboard Donna._ "I got you a gift _."_

Harvey glowered. "What is _this_?"

" _This_ is Donna. A 1-to-1 ratio, life-size cutout."

"Thank God I have you in my life to clarify what I _already_ know," Harvey muttered sarcastically. "Why is it in my office?"

"When we were working on McKernon Motors, you kept glancing at Donna's empty desk and every time, you'd be all.. _._ " Mike's face transformed into a comical one as he tried to _channel_ Harvey; meanwhile, Harvey prayed that he looked _nothing_ like what Mike was _channeling_. "I think the word I'm looking for is _Yearny_."

"That's not even a _real_ word. And I was not _yearny_. I was _looking_. People with eyes tend to that."

"Whatever, _Yearny_ Harvey." Mike gave _cardboard Donna_ a jiggle. "With this _,_ you can feel like Donna's always here with you. How sweet is _that_?"

" _That_ is scary!"

"Are you saying Donna's _terrifying_?" Mike questioned with feigned shock.

"No! She's…" -beautiful, amazing, and _non-paper-_ "…alive! This 2D Donna glares. Gives me the creeps! _"_

"I bring you a thoughtful gift, and you're outright rejecting it?" Mike clutched his chest. "You wound me."

" _Not yet._ I've been resisting the temptation. For years."

Having known each other for too long, Mike was immune to Harvey's go-to-hell dismissal.

"I can also have another made. Would you prefer one featuring you in _something_ _bright_ _yellow_?" Mike offered with a smirk.

"Asshole." Harvey sighed in defeat. "Never mind. Just put it over there."

Mike hummed as he carried _his gift_ to the specified corner. To rub it in, he made sure _cardboard Donna_ directly faced Harvey's desk before _skipping_ out of the office.

Left to himself, Harvey tried to get back to work.

 _13 seconds. 47 seconds. Can't. Brain._

The static pair of eyes planted on him made it impossible to concentrate. Harvey walked over to reposition _cardboard Donna_ so it looked out the window. As fate would have it, _real_ Donna chose that moment to join him.

"Harvey? Why do you have your hands on... _me_?"

Out of context and worded like _that_ , it made him sound like a perv. _Damn you, Mike._ Harvey hastily dropped his arms. "This is _not_ what it looks like. I didn't make this."

"Mike?" At Harvey's nod, she gave her paper twin a good look. "He could have picked a nicer photo of me. This is not my best dress, and the lighting is off," Donna commented with sass.

Instead of addressing the oddity of being made into a cardboard, the woman was critiquing her dress and the lighting. It was so _endearingly Donna_ that he couldn't help but smile.

She waved at her cutout. "Can we get rid of _this_?"

"Yes, please. I was afraid you'd feel unwanted if I threw it out."

"I'm Donna. I'm _wanted_ everywhere. And...I have an idea."

"Project: Revenge Ross?"

She winked. "The _turbo_ version."

* * *

As part of the scheme, Harvey took Mike out for coffee so Donna could set everything up. At 7 P.M., they huddled behind a cabinet and waited for Mike to return to his office.

"How did you get so much done in such a short time?" Harvey whispered, kneeling beside Donna.

Donna grinned. "Louis volunteered to help. You'll see."

Hearing footsteps, they crouched lower. Harvey hit record on his phone, and together, they waited for the moment of truth to unravel.

Mike walked to his desk, and the second he pulled the chair out, a life-size cutout of Louis, sporting a mullet and a glittery outfit popped out from the side.

' _This is Litt-Up disco, baby!'_

Louis's voice blasted from hidden speakers. Colorful lights illuminated the room, rhythmically synchronizing with a classic hit. In the midst of the alarming _disco-baby_ party, Mike jumped over his desk, screaming in deafening decibels.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

Harvey had to pinched himself to keep quiet. Next to him, Donna covered her mouth, shoulders shaking with mirth.

Mike yanked the wires out, bringing the lights and music to a halt. Marching away from his office, he bellowed, "DISCO LOUIS? HARVEY! YOU'RE _SO_ GOING TO PAY FOR THIS!"

Once alone, Harvey and Donna dissolved into fits of laughter.

Hugging her stomach, Donna leaned against the cabinet. "God, I haven't laughed so hard in such a long time. And Mike can jump _really, really_ high! We should sign him up for the Olympics. Do they have a Desk-Jumping event?"

Sitting there on the floor, bumping shoulders, and laughing together. It was something they used to do. What they were good at. The devious pranks. The secrets they shared. The ease of each other's company.

Engrossed in the nostalgic familiarity, Harvey heard himself say, "I miss this."

"Me too."

A charged stillness fell upon them. Aware that the chances of him doing something stupid - like lean over and kiss her - were too high, he forced himself to break eye contact.

"Harvey. I've been meaning to tell you that I found a place. Very soon, you'll have your _bachelor_ pad back. No need to keep it _genteel_ for me anymore."

Despite her attempt to keep the news casual, his heart sunk at the thought of Donna moving out. He wanted to tell her to stay. He didn't want a bachelor pad. He wanted a Donna-pad.

"Harvey?"

He faced her. And smiled - only because she _so_ _wanted_ him to. "I already got you a housewarming present." Pointing towards Louis's cutout, he added, " _Litt-Up Disco_ repels neighbors. I'll bring it over to your new place."

Donna giggled. "Don't you _dare_."

"Shouldn't you know by now that those words only have the opposite effect on me?" Harvey stood and extended an arm to help Donna up. "I _so_... _very_ _dare_."

He caught the slight hesitation before she placed her hand in his. After making sure Donna found her footing, he was _supposed_ to release her. Just as he was _supposed_ to congratulate her for finding an apartment. Just as he was _supposed_ to ignore how right it had felt to wake up with her. Just as he was _supposed_ to perfect the _unfeeling_ Harvey Specter act. Just as he was _supposed_ to...

 _'Supposed'_ bought a ticket to the Bahamas and never looked back.

Harvey gave in to his selfish need to be close to Donna. Instead of letting her hand go, he shifted his fingers to entwined them with hers. She sucked in a shaky gasp, stance tensing as their palms pressed tightly together. Still, Harvey _couldn't_ make himself relinquish his hold. _Of her hand. Of her._

Uncertainty warred across Donna's face, questioning but trusting all at once. In her eyes, Harvey recognized a warmth, an understanding she reserved for him. For moments when he was less put together. _For moments like now._

He gave her hand a light squeeze and led them towards the elevator, Donna's graceful steps matching his rigid strides. Despite the brave front, Harvey was secretly afraid that at any moment, she would come to her senses and shake his hand off.

 _Stop thinking so hard._

The short distance walk across the hallway felt like a hyperaware marathon, each stealing glances when they thought the other wasn't looking. A silence that neither was willing to break settled between them. It was... _quietly hopeful._

All the way home, Harvey never once let her hand go. And Donna never pulled away.

* * *

 **THE NEXT EVENING**

For the second time that week, Harvey opened the door to find Mike standing outside his apartment.

"What took you so long? Are your joints hurting, old man?"

"Is this becoming a habit? You randomly showing up at my place?" Despite unwelcoming words, Harvey stepped aside to let Mike in. He paused, noting that something was off about the ensemble: Mike. Wine bottle. A duffel bag. And... "Christ! Mike! Is that a pillow?"

"Holy Cow! Yes, it is!" Mike mimicked his tone. "This is Lil' Pill."

 _Lil' Pill._ It had a name.

Harvey cringed, failing to come up with one good reason for the _fluffy existence_ in his apartment. If Mike had gone screwy, he needed back-up badly.

"Donna! Donna!"

She dashed out. "Harvey! What's wrong?"

Harvey pointed at Mike and his fluffy buddy. "What's _not_ wrong? He's here. With a pillow."

Donna's panic instantly eased into amusement. "Have no fear, Harvey. I'm here to protect you." She gave Mike's pillow a squeeze before turning back to him. "It doesn't bite. You're safe." She disappeared into her room and showed up once more with a bag. "Bye, boys. I'll be home tomorrow in the afternoon."

"Where are you going?" Harvey stayed Donna with a hand and directed his next question at Mike. "And why are you here again?"

"A sleepover," Mike and Donna answered at the same time.

Harvey froze at their united front, unbelieving his ears. "A sleepover? What are we? Nine? Do I need to heat up pop tarts too?"

 _Trust Mike to completely miss the point._ "That's the spirit!"

"Mike, note the _sarcasm_."

Donna patted Harvey on the head. "Don't be such a party pooper. It's just for a night. Roomie Swap!"

"Roomie Swap? It's not a fair trade. Rachel gets you," Harvey mumbled. "I get this... _thing_."

"Hey! ' _Thing'_ can hear your _un-appreciation_ ," Mike objected. "I'm a great roomie. Clean, _snoreless_ , and many would say I'm wonderful company. I have wine!"

"I agree. _Many_ would say you're _whiny_ ," Harvey countered.

Overwhelmed by their idiotic exchange, Donna hushed them both.

"Pot," she said to Mike and gestured towards Harvey. "Meet Kettle. Seeing how you both rule _Whiny Kingdom_ , you'll get along just fine. Now, I'm leaving for real. Rachel and I have a grand night planned."

* * *

After pouring them each a glass of wine, Harvey sat across Mike. "What's with the pillow?"

Mike threw the object onto the couch. "Just wanted to freak you out. It worked."

Harvey sighed in exasperation. "How can I ever repay your thoughtfulness to give me premature heart attacks?"

"A private dinner with MJ? Your corner office? An Aston Martin? All of the above would be nice."

Harvey groaned and looked skyward. "Please make _him_ disappear. I beg you. _That_ would be nice."

Mike snickered before his expression turned serious. "Donna's moving out?"

Harvey nodded. His thoughts revolved around events from last night. She hadn't stopped him or pulled her hand away. Not until he'd walked Donna to her bedroom door and bid her goodnight. And while it could have meant nothing to her, Harvey was still hoping he could make Donna change her mind. _Somehow_.

It didn't mean that he wanted to talk to Mike about it. As an excuse to _not_ engage in the conversation, Harvey drank instead.

"Donna's thinking about dating," Mike said to his glass.

Harvey almost spitted into his. "Dating?"

"Yes. She told Rachel the other day that she _has_ to move out because she's falling for you all over again."

"Falling for me? All over again?" Harvey mirrored the words like a parrot. _Did someone activate the 'repeat' function on him?_

"That's why the ladies arranged this sleepover. They're probably discussing Donna's love life and _you_ right now _._ Seeing how I'd be an obstacle, I was asked to _remove_ myself for the night."

Harvey ran fingers through his hair, still fixated on what he'd just learned.

"It doesn't make sense. She's moving out and wants to date other people because she's falling for me?"

His heart did a little flip. For weeks, Harvey had held on to her almost confession from that drunken night. She'd not denied that there was more between them, but it was just that - an unidentifiable connection that they'd shared and danced to for years. Harvey had not thought her feelings had changed. Or grown. She'd even asked to keep things the same. Harvey shook his head, untangling mental knots. Maybe Mike hadn't gotten the whole story. Maybe he'd heard wrong. And maybe he was also a mind reader.

"I know what I heard. Donna said she needs to move on. From you. With other people."

What was there to move on from? They hadn't even started anything. _The maddening woman and her complex logic!_

"Did Rachel ask you to tell me all this?"

Mike's face split into a wide smile. "Rachel's exact words were, 'Mike, you're not allowed to tell Harvey _anything_.'" At Harvey's confounded look, he explained, "I took a _liberal interpretation_. She said not to tell you _anything_ , so I told you _everything_. Besides, I believe Rachel telling me not to tell you is her way of telling me to tell you."

 _Riddle talk. How very Mike._

Mike moved to sit next to Harvey. "What happened? You two looked happy living together and suddenly, Donna wants to move out and date other people? _What did you do?_ "

"Nothing." It was the truth - if he excluded the kiss, the confrontation, the handholding, the… _fine, it was a lie._

" _Gramps_. Don't you think _that's_ the problem? Doing ' _nothing'_? She has feelings for you, and it's obvious that you return them. Why not ask her out properly?"

A new realization dawned on Harvey. The silly cutout. Showing up here with a pillow. Sharing _Donna insight_ s and now, urging Harvey to do something about it. The string of events weren't coincidental. These half-ass stunts had been Mike's way to break the strain between Donna and him. Because Mike was here for him - and also wearing his innocent puppy look - Harvey decided to come clean. As much as someone who didn't talk about feelings could anyway _._

"I told Donna I was done pretending there wasn't more between us." Harvey left the kiss out. "But she called in the paper toss bet. She insisted that we keep things unchanged. So there's ' _nothing'_ I can do."

Mike stared as if Harvey had just confessed that he was a Humanoid.

"Love makes _people_ dumb as hell. And by ' _people'_ , I really just mean ' _you_ ', Harvey."

"It was your lame ass bet condition that got me into this mess!"

"Which only further proves my point. _You_ don't give a _shit_ about conditions." Mike re-enacted in a Harvey-ish voice, " _What do you do when a man points a gun to your head?_ "

" _Jerk_. You made me sound like Bugs Bunny on crack. A gun, I can handle. Donna's heart is entirely another thing. You know her rule about not getting involved with people at work-"

"You're Donna and Harvey!" Mike interrupted.

 _'Donna and Harvey', which is the modern idiom synonymous for_ _'to be or not to be'_ _,_ Harvey thought.

"Helloooooo? I said...'you're Don-naaaa and Har-veyyyy," Mike repeated, enunciating their names.

"And you're Maaa-iike," Harvey returned, earning a scowl for his useless contribution. "What? Are we not playing the _state-the-obvious_ game?"

"Donna _always_ bends the rules for you. I may be the one with the pillow, but your brain is stuffed with feathers."

Harvey merely shrugged, not trusting his _feather-stuffed brain_ to say the right thing.

"Harvey. Specter. You're sooooooo smitten," Mike crooned. Harvey shot him a killer glare, which had no threatening effect whatsoever. "No, not smitten. You're very much... _in lurrrve_."

"The only idea I am _in lurrrve_ with at this moment is punching your nose."

Mike's grin only grew at the empty threat. "Harvey, do you want Donna?"

Delivered in such a direct manner, Harvey was stunned speechless. Then, he nodded.

"As a friend? As a girlfriend? As a-?"

"However she wants me," Harvey answered. "I need her in my life too much. So to answer all of your questions. However she wants me."

Mike threw an arm around Harvey's shoulders. "That's it, Bro! I'm so proud of you. Admitting your feelings and all. You've emotionally grown so much, I'm crying happy tears inside."

Harvey noted that he'd been upgraded from _Gramps_ to _Bro_. Not that it mattered. "Hell, no. I'm no Bro of a man-child with a Pillow."

 _Uncomfortable. Dead_. _Air._

"Wow…such _talent_ for rhyming. Ever consider writing poems for a living?" Mike commented drily.

Harvey _did_ dig his own grave with that unintended rhyme. "Shut up, Mike. And please remove your arm."

"Oh, I see. The Specter body is exclusively reserved for the hands of Paulsen...," Mike faded out when he caught Harvey's _do-_ _not-finish-that-sentence_ glare. "Sorry. That was disturbing."

"You think?"

Peace in _Whiny Kingdom_ lasted for 11.28 seconds.

"Harvey, I have an plan. But we'll need to get Rachel, Louis, and Ray on board." When Harvey didn't react right away, Mike sighed, "Fine. You can live a Donna-less life and die alone. Maybe earn some sideline money with your _non-existent poetry skills_ after retirement. But don't expect me to change your diapers at the nursing home that I _won't_ be visiting."

The truth was, Harvey could use an intervention. As Mike made an exaggerated move to stand, Harvey pulled him back down.

"Okay, Mr. _Dramatique_. Tell me about this genius plan of yours. But if you mention poetry or 'Bro' me one more time, I'm kicking you and your pillow out!"

"Have some respect, Harvey! His name is Lil' Pill!"

* * *

 **A/N: All along, I've secretly been writing about two stubborn mules named Red and Spiky _disguised_ as humans. (*straight face) Next up, non-disco Louis pitches in. ****Thank you for joining me on this screwball ride. If you've got** **thoughts, the review button could use some _lurrrve_. (*appreciate it!)**


	14. Not a Fan

**14 - NOT A FAN**

* * *

 _*Thank you so much for the encouraging reviews. Here it is - THE plan with FBI complexities (...not). I'm hopeless when it comes to writing clever schemes. May I offer you my brand of randomness instead?_

* * *

Mike insisted on naming the plan 'Operation DUMBO', an initiative comprised of five steps: Donna's Initiation, Undisrupted Life, Most Unlikely Ally, Best Friend's Support and _Oh-You_. He justified that it was a legitimate acronym, but it was obvious that Mike just wanted to call Harvey 'Dumbo'. The "O", especially, was _very_ forced.

 _Dumbo_ never approved the name, but Mike kicked off the plan the next day anyway.

 **I. DONNA'S INITIATION**

It was crucial to let Donna believe it was her idea to initiate the arrangement. Rachel successfully persuaded Donna to act on her intent to 'date', and seeing how Louis got her the perfect man before, she should ask him for help.

 **II. UNDISRUPTED LIFE**

To avoid suspicions, everyone went along with Donna's plan to move out - of which, Mike played the supportive brotherly role. He drafted up the contract for her new apartment, including a clause that secured Donna a one month trial period. Of course, it was done with ulterior motives, hoping she would change her mind and remain at Harvey's. But even if Operation DUMBO fell apart, Mike made sure the contract still worked in Donna's best interest.

* * *

 **III. MOST UNLIKELY ALLY**

Harvey was assigned to loop Louis into the plan. He walked by Louis's office twice in the morning only to find it empty. On his third visit, he found Louis lying on the couch, drifting away to seventh heaven. Instead of interrupting the beauty sleep, Harvey left the managing partner notes instead.

An hour later, Louis came barging into Harvey's office, wildly waving the _notes_ in the air. "What the hell are these?"

"It's nice to see you too. And those," Harvey clarified, "are post-its. Useful things that stick everywhere."

"I know they goddamn _stick everywhere_ because you _stuck_ three of them on my forehead. Jackass!"

"Thank you for noticing. I invest a lot of effort into perfecting my _Jackassiness_." When Louis continued to radiate 'I-want-to-strangle-you' vibes, Harvey dismissed the anger with a tease. "Come on, Louis. I had to make sure you got my messages. All three words." Harvey stifled a laugh when he mentally read said important words: _Totally Worships Harve_ y. "Besides, you were sleeping. During work hours."

"I was _not_ sleeping," Louis contradicted.

"You were snoring so loud that the window cleaners felt the glass vibrating."

"Mother of Zeus!" Louis shrieked before remembering Harvey's tendency to jest at his expense. "I repeat, 'You're a jackass'. And for the record, I was not sleeping."

"What, _pray tell_ , were you doing?" Harvey asked in Louis's favorite language: old-fashioned English.

"I was soul searching…horizontal style. To cleanse the spirit, the chi must flow."

Harvey rolled his eyes. The only _chi_ he was interested in flowing was chi-Paulsen.

" _Soul searching_ , my butt. I don't have time for your philosophical jimbo jambos." Gesturing towards the couch, Harvey requested in a gentler manner, "If you could please take a seat, I really do have business to discuss."

Louis eyed Harvey skeptically. "Why have you gone all polite? You even said 'please'. Are you dying?"

Harvey chuckled as he texted the junior partner to join them. "I hope not for another thirty years or so. Stay put while I get Mike in here."

A minute later, Mike waltzed in. "Hey, Louis! I hear _Post-It Head_ is trending."

Louis's eyes rounded in shock. "Shit! This is all your fault, Harvey. That's what they're going to call me from now on: _Post-it Head_. How many people saw?"

Mike held up both hands. "Harvey, I have to borrow your fingers."

Louis slapped Mike's arms as he bellowed, "Harvey, retract your damn fingers! Let's finish this discussion so I can go shout at associates and find my _mojo_."

Mike bit back a smile and opened the discussion. "The Harvard Reunion is coming up, right?"

Louis nervously snapped his head towards Harvey. "Why are you asking?"

"Easy, Louis," Harvey reassured to relieve his concerns. Harvard Reunions for Louis was like the Golden Globes for actors. Honorable, elegant, and an excuse for sensible adults to take _lots of selfies -_ something Louis secretly lived for. "Hear Mike out?"

Mike stood and made a mini-tour around the office. He picked up objects from various corners and set them onto table.

"We have a plan, and you're at the heart of it, Louis. Now, listen closely. The glass is Donna. Harvey's the decanter. I'm the stapler, Rachel's the pen, and Louis, you're this pin. Rachel has convinced Donna to date again," Mike explained as he placed the glass (Donna) next to the pen (Rachel). "Donna will approach you about a date, and we need you to tell her that your friend is coming to the city for the Harvard Reunion. And he's perfect for her." To illustrate, Mike moved the pin (Louis) close to the glass (Donna).

Louis brows knitted. "What friend?"

Mike held up the decanter. "Harvey." Ignoring a very stunned Louis, he went on to re-arrange the items, laying out the rest of the plan. Harvey found it all hellishly confusing. Mike could have just shared the details verbally, but he'd opted for 'let's move objects around' to add _grandeur._ The only thing it was _adding_ was a headache to an impatient Harvey. Before he could suggest a simpler approach, Louis cut in, "Woah, woah, woah. Hold on. This is not right!"

Harvey jumped in. "Look, Louis. I know you're a Donna fan-"

"You're damn right. I'm a Donna fan. No, screw that. I'm so freakin' loyal to that woman that I've evolved. I'm a goddamn Donna propeller," Louis announced with a straight face.

Mike looked pained from holding back laughter while Harvey attempted to garner Louis's support any way he could.

"Yes, Mike. Please note that Louis's not a fan. He's a _propeller_." _One with loud and dramatic flaps too._

"Got it, Louis. Not a fan. You're a propeller."

Intrigued, Mike and Harvey watched _not-a-fan_ Louis _propelled_ himself over to the sideboard. He picked up one of the basketballs and said, "For that reason, I deserve to be more than a _pathetic pin_." Louis threw the basketball to Mike, sat back down, and smiled. "Here! I will be one of _Harvey's balls_ in your scenario. I'm ready to hear the rest of your plan. Go!"

Harvey burst out laughing while Mike tried to ignore the fact that Louis had voluntarily chosen to be one of 'Harvey's balls'. The kid was undoubtedly scarred for life.

* * *

It had been two days since the "not-a-fan" discussion and any time now, Louis was supposed to enter the conference room where Donna and Harvey were tying up their latest case.

Perfectly timed and on cue, Louis joined them. "Good afternoon, Her Royal Highness and Harvey."

"Why does Donna get to be _Her Royal High-_?" Harvey shut his mouth mid-word, immediately regretting the question. He'd meant why he wasn't being regarded as royalty. _Too late_. He'd set himself up for the fall.

"Would you like to be addressed as _Her Royal Highness_ too, Harvey?"

Louis would be better off addressing Harvey by the fitting title: 'His Dumbness', which aligned perfectly with Mike's name for him - _Dumbo_. This whole Donna-plan was taking a toll on his wits. He briefly wondered if they sold 'senses' on eBay? He could use some new ones.

"You have a point. Just 'Harvey' is fine."

Donna flashed an amused smile at Harvey's slip as she gathered the folders. "I'm done here. Enjoy your next meeting."

Louis quickly stopped her. "Wait, Donna. Remember that friend I told you about? Turns out he's coming to New York for the Harvard Reunion, and he would like to meet you. Will this Saturday work for you?"

Harvey both anticipated and dreaded her response. If she declined, it meant she wasn't ready to move on from him - not that it made a difference because she'd just shun him out. _Like now._ But Donna agreeing to the date didn't work in Harvey's favor either. Mike's Operation DUMBO suddenly felt like a _no-win situation_. _Why the hell had he agreed to it_ _again?_

Harvey's jaw hardened when he saw Donna nodding.

"Sure, Louis. Saturday's good. Any specifics I should know about your friend? I don't want to go on a date unaware again." She meant her last 'promising date' with Al - fashionable spawn of Bond. Harvey scowled, disliking the thought of Donna with Al or any other man. The idea was enough to give him an ulcer.

Louis improvised his friend's _qualifications_. "Obviously, he's a Harvard graduate - hence the reunion. He manages a successful…practice. And he's smart."

Harvey caught himself smiling - Louis never complimented him. In a devious mood, Harvey chimed in, "Your friend is _smart_ , is he?"

Louis folded his arms across his chest, catching on to Harvey's stunt. "Yes, but sometimes he can take his _smart_ to unbelievable levels of _smart-assism_."

Harvey covered his laugh with a cough. "Fascinating. What else can you tell us about your friend?"

Louis's eyes narrowed into slits, as if to say 'Challenge Accepted'. He put on new flair before facing Donna. "He's reputed to have _nice_ hair, steady legs that could run forever, and his jaw and teeth are incredibly _strong_."

Donna shook her head in confusion. "Louis, are you setting me up with a man or a horse? Do you even want me to date your friend? He's a smartass and has qualities of a pedigree racing horse. Am I supposed to be flattered? Or do you just secretly hate me?"

Harvey choked while Louis laughed, loving the race horse remark.

"I was joking, Donna. He's athletic, smart, and a Harvard graduate. A lawyer." Louis spared a glance at Harvey before meeting Donna's eyes again. "He's…your type. Just trust me, okay?"

Donna sighed, "Fine. Does your friend have a name?"

 _Shit!_ They hadn't thought to give her fake blind date a fake name. Out of the blue, Louis blurted, "Reggie Ster."

Harvey blanched and studied his nails as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Register? Your friend's name is REGISTER?" Donna asked incredulously. "Is he a foreigner?"

Harvey continued his feigned interest with nails - all the way to the fifth layer of skin.

Across him, Louis tried to rescue the disaster. "You must have misheard. I said Roger Sterling."

"Roger," Donna repeated flatly, looking only half-convinced. "I'll call you for the time and place again?" At Louis's nod, she crinkled her brows and strode out.

Once Donna was out of earshot, Harvey yelled at Louis, "Register? What the hell, Louis? You almost blew it!"

"The only names that popped into my head were Maximus and Rochester, and let's face it...those are too classy for you. So I thought of your full name – Harvey Reginald Specter and I panicked. I picked the first two syllables of your middle name and shortened your surname."

 _Reggie Ster. Register._ If Harvey didn't have to use the lame name Louis came up with, he would be laughing his ass off. Actually, as absurd as it was, Harvey could appreciate the humor in it.

"Thank you, Louis."

"Don't thank me yet. If you wrong her, Harvey, I'll use my judo skills on you."

"Really?"

"I'm badass."

"You don't have judo skills. You have mudding skills."

"Mudding is badass."

"Maybe for OCD freaks."

"I'll just hire a mob to kick your butt, Harvey. Heaven knows I have enough money and love for that woman to do anything for her."

Harvey had no doubt about it. If Donna asked Louis to 'Jump', not only would he respond with the classic 'How high?', he'd ask 'What should I wear?'.

"Get in line, Louis. I'll be punching myself first. I'm trying to make this work, I promise."

"I know, Harvey. I wouldn't have agreed to help if I didn't think you two could make it."

Before Harvey could say more, Jessica entered the room. "Hello, boys. Let's begin our bi-weekly catch up."

* * *

The whole meeting went by in a blur. A few times, Jessica even had to call Harvey's name to provoke a reaction. He heard words and auto piloted with lawyerly responses - alternating between the 'it-depends shrug' and the 'I-totally-don't-get-it-but-will-fake-it' nod. Of course, nothing escaped Eagle-Eye Pearson.

"Well, if there is nothing else on the agenda, we can conclude this meeting so Harvey can go back to his main job: _daydreaming_."

Harvey flinched at Jessica's jab. He wasn't _daydreaming_. Daydreams involved all-over-the-place thoughts. His mind wasn't fluttering through random subjects. Harvey was fixated on one. He was _Donna-dreaming_.

"Good luck, Reggie," Louis said before leaving Harvey with Jessica, a stack of papers, and...awkward stillness.

"Don't hurt her, Harvey." Jessica turned to face him, catching his eyes in a direct stare.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't give me that bullshit. I know everything that goes on in my firm. Donna moving into your apartment, the file room fight, the charity event, and whatever it is you have planned now. I see all, Harvey. I just choose not to acknowledge everything. But this is different. Donna's special. She's a valuable employee, but more importantly, she's my friend. So Harvey, don't do anything stupid."

Jessica was ready to take her leave when Harvey sighed, "Everyone's on Team Paulsen. Louis. Rachel. Mike. You. This meeting table probably has a I-heart-Paulsen soul too. Team Specter needs supporters too." The smile he wore felt tight. _Unnatural_. Finally, he let the mask drop. Jessica had always been his rock - there for him in her own distant but unwavering way. "I have just as much to lose, you know? Why is everyone giving me warnings?

"Because, Harvey, you feel too much."

"Feel…too much?" Well, that was a novel concept. People often accused him of being rude, arrogant, and brutal. The words 'feel too much' and 'Harvey' had never been spoken in the same sentence. Maybe his exes would throw him a party for such an achievement - who knew he was actually capable of 'feeling'.

Jessica nodded once. "When you experience emotions, you take them in and respond more intensely than most people. The difference is, others wear their reactions on their sleeves. You lock yours behind God knows how many layers of walls inside. You're so afraid of letting your vulnerability show and choose to shut down completely. You let your head govern your actions and when you do that, you say the coldest shit. It hurts people, even if you don't always mean them. So yes, you have the tendency to turn yourself into an ass when you _feel too much_."

It hit so close to the truth that Harvey had to look away. He was used to being misunderstood, but the barrier he'd carefully put up for the world was completely transparent to Jessica. Laid out so bare, it made him feel uncomfortable. Terrified, even.

"Such insights, Jessica. Anymore analysis for me? Pavlov? Freudian theories? Pearson soup for the soul?"

Unthinkingly, Harvey had tried to brush off his insecurity with humor again. Jessica was right - he was incapable of dealing with feelings like normal people. What if Jessica was right about him messing things up with Donna too?

"I only have one more advice," Jessica said, her tone gentler this time. "The Harvey I know is also a decent man. Loyal. Generous. Thoughtful. I'm counting on _that_ Harvey to win Donna over. Go get her, _Reggie_."

* * *

 **IV. BEST FRIEND'S SUPPORT**

 _Date night._ Harvey wasn't sure if he was on the brink of screaming or breaking into a song, his insides rallying between anxiety and excitement. If tonight's plan failed, Harvey didn't know how they would recover from it. Even learning about Donna 'falling for him' hadn't helped because she seemed determined to move on. _From him. With other people._ Why else would she have agreed to this date?

Harvey stood in the living room, restlessly tapping his feet while waiting for Donna to get dressed. When she stepped out of her room, Harvey's face involuntarily broke into a goofy grin.

"You look amazing, Donna."

Instead of her trademark 'I know' comeback, she blushed - an adorable rosy pink coloring her cheeks. Helplessly drawn to her, Harvey reached out to tuck strands of hair behind her ear. Donna's eyes widened at the intimate gesture, and he quickly stepped back. "I'm sorry."

"What are you doing tonight?" Donna asked to wash over the tense moment.

"I have something planned with Mike." Technically, he wasn't lying. Mike had helped him plan _whatever_ this was. Christ, that kid's cheekiness was definitely rubbing off. "You ready for the date?"

"I'm looking forward to it." Despite her words, she appeared nothing like a woman 'looking forward' to anything. Perhaps, 'looking reluctant' was the better description. Shifting uneasily, she gave Harvey a strained smile. "Any last minute tips?"

 _Don't go. Stay. With me._ He considered whether to call it off and confess everything. No, it wasn't the right place or time. She'd never listen, stubborn as she was.

"Go with an open mind? He may turn out to be a keeper," Harvey suggested. _Right. That was totally unbiased_.

"A keeper," she repeated in a daze. "I should get going. Don't wait up tonight."

"Ray's waiting downstairs." Harvey opened the door for her. "Have a good time."

Donna paused briefly as she passed him, looking like she wanted to say something.

"Donna?"

"It's…nothing." She shook her head once, refusing to meet his eyes. And then, she left without another word.

Harvey shut the door, ran into his room, and grabbed the suit he'd laid out. _Blue_. Her dress had been _blue_. He tried to remember what shade it was to pick out a matching tie - because such detail mattered to Donna. With shaky hands, he put on the tie and jacket. When he caught his own reflection in the mirror, he cursed. His hair was mussed, a deviation from his usual slick look. A glance at the clock showed that he didn't have any more time to spare. Recalling drunk Donna's admission that she liked his _bed-head_ look, he raked his fingers through his hair a few times and styled it into a casual look.

Harvey had instructed Ray to take the long way, but the city traffic was unpredictable. He grabbed the key to his Ferrari and stormed out of the apartment.

Running through red lights and taking every shortcut he knew, Harvey arrived at the restaurant exactly seven minutes before the appointed time. He summoned every 'composed' cell in his body to present a calm exterior as he passed his car key to the valet and followed the waiter into a private dining room.

"Would you like something to drink first, Mr. Sterling?" the waiter asked.

Harvey cringed at the pseudonym. He'd been forced to use Louis's made up name because Donna would be asking for a 'Roger Sterling'. There was nothing wrong with the name. It just wasn't _his._

"No, thank you."

As soon as the waiter closed the door, Harvey began to pace.

* * *

 **V. OH-YOU**

 _Buzz_. A text from Ray: _'We're here.'_

This was it. The _Oh-You_ reveal.

Harvey prayed that Donna wouldn't throw her stilettos at him. On second thought, _attacked by heels_ was the least of his concerns. He could deal with physical pain. It was the emotional matters that he'd have to handle with care. Admittedly, he was not very good at both the _handling_ and the _caring_.

Standing beside the table set for two, Harvey began counting to give his on-edge mind something to do. When he reached twenty-one, the door opened. The waiter stepped in first, and Harvey nodded to ask for some privacy.

Acknowledging the request, the waiter ushered _Mr. Sterling's date_ forward before leaving them alone.

From where he stood, Harvey saw Donna before she spotted him. And once more, he was struck dumb at how beautiful she looked. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into her line of sight.

Donna stilled when her eyes met his. She wasn't frowning, but she wasn't smiling either. Harvey felt words lodged in his throat. Not knowing what the appropriate ones were, he kept his silence and braced for an outburst - yelling, screaming, or any kind of scolding. She did none of those.

"Harvey?"

He swallowed hard. "The very one."

"You're…not what I expected."

 _I'm not what I expected either._ He'd never been this worked up with anyone or on any occasion. He was so nervous, so scared of screwing up. _Worst of all?_ He still couldn't read her. His heart raced, a dull roar flooding his ears. Squaring his shoulders, he slid his trembling hands into his pockets.

"Am I, at least, _exceeding_ expectations?" he asked with a smile, his tone barely carrying the humor through.

Wheels were evidently turning inside that clever head of hers. "Are you...crashing my date again?"

"No." Harvey closed the distance between them. "I'm not crashing your date. I _am_ your date."

* * *

 **A/N: Go** **Reggie Ster! Thank you for reading (and reviewing - if you're not too shy or busy crashing dates). :P**


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